Solitaire
by somewhere-there
Summary: What happens when the battle with Rido is won? Events revolving mostly around Kaname, but with considerable participation of Yagari and other characters, pairings: AidouxYori, implied Kaname- YuukixZero, possible spoilers up to manga 45
1. The day of triumph

This is my first fanfiction - both Vampire Knight and otherwise on this site. Please, review, and I on my side - will try to update as quickly as I can (which can inititially be not that quickly as I presently suffer a severe deadline - but, alas, the story wouldn't let me alone anyway).

It's Kaname-centric, and it's mostly Angst, with maybe some Hurt/Comfort thrown in, and it shouldn't be too long either - in fact, in my head it feels more like a one-shot, maximum two-shot, it's only that I really do not have time to write longer chapters right now. The timeline is somewhere after the current chaotic events in the manga resolve themselves, aside from the fact that I quite on purpose shut out the appearance of Sarah and a probability of further complications/events that it implies. Lets say - in this universe - Rido is slain, corruption in both Vampire Council and Hunters' Association eradicated, the world is still in turmoil but should settle eventually... all is good and jolly, ain't it?

Many thanks to Hino Matsuri for the brilliant manga and characters (which I do not own - go figure), and many thanks to BlackenedWing, YenGirl, Sagakure and many other brilliant fanfiction writers for the concepts of blood bond and other useful things to know about the Vampire Knight universe which have grown to be "almost canon" and as such form the basis on which I elaborate in this story.

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**solitaire**  
- 1716, _"solitary person, recluse"_, from Fr. solitaire, from L. solitarius.  
- Sense of _"a precious stone set by itself"_ is from 1727.  
- Meaning _"card game played by one person"_ is first attested 1746.  
(from **Online Etymology Dictionary**)

also - the card game known as _"solitaire" _in US is called _"patience"_ in the UK.

* * *

_This was the day we triumphed…_

And by all rights he should've been triumphing too.

All his subtle manipulations have worked. All the plans he had painstakingly put into action came through. All his carefully laid cards, his little chess pieces performed admirably. And even if understanding of things accomplished was yet to dawn and some work was yet to be done…

...the casualties were low, and the innocents – a fairly large category in his mind including almost all inadvertently involved in this conflict, humans and hunters and even the remnants of dazed and confused (when suddenly left all masterless) Level Ds in the woods (something that needed attention, but – Kuran created as they were – he hoped that blood of another Kuran can make them stable, the blood either he or Yuuki will have to donate… later… something that needs to be done... he didn't relish the prospect, but... he hoped there aren't more deaths… more destruction)…

_the innocents were largely unharmed__… _

…and the vampires… those who stood by his side out of their free will… those who fought the most and suffered the most… gentle seeds of future he planted and nurtured to the state of current understanding of the inherent _possibility_ of peaceful coexistence they now fought to protect…

...they will heal… grievous as some of the wounds received were, they will heal… even Takuma, pale and lifeless as he lay in the hands of Senri and Rima, who brought him from the council building… even Zero, mangled as he was from that blow he/Rido had sneaked in before the vines had wrapped around him in the last, almost unconscious attack, before the silver thorns with their anti-vampire poison had penetrated his skin, shutting down his vampiric powers, shutting down the very powers that kept Rido's consciousness alive in the long-given blood that was sadly part of Kaname's own, wiping his uncle out of this last refuge, last hostage-weapon that he had…

_they will heal…_

…given time and fed back to health by the generous gift of life-sustaining liquid their loved ones shared with them at this very moment… in fact he could taste the traces of their blood scents in the air – sweet and light and alive over the heavy overload of all the _dead _blood spilt today… and above and beyond them – that one scent that filled him with gentle if somewhat remote wistfulness – sweeter and lighter and more alive, more vibrant even – the scent of Kuran blood… was she still feeding it to the ex-human hunter? Or was she wandering among the moaning bodies sparing a few drops here, a spoonful there of this naturally potent medicine to those who needed it most? He could so see his gentle and kindhearted Yuuki doing exactly that…

_be careful, dear… don't overextend yourself…_

…they all lived, and even though it will take the time for the world to slowly rotate into new position, now that seeds were planted and the soil laid bare for them – there was every chance that something new and beautiful will grow out of the chaos of this day… given time…

…so – it was all the more cause for celebration…

…_t__his was the day we triumphed…_

… and he wondered what was wrong with him and why he couldn't feel the least bit of triumph as he sat alone above the lake, his arms tightly wrapped around half bent legs, eyes closed and throbbing forehead pressed down into his knees…


	2. Solitaire 1: Solitary gem

Many thanks to Hino Matsuri for the brilliant manga and characters (which I do not own - go figure), and many thanks to BlackenedWing, YenGirl, Sagakure and many other brilliant fanfiction writers for the concepts of blood bond and other useful things to know about the Vampire Knight universe which have grown to be "almost canon" and as such form the basis on which I elaborate in this story.

* * *

_... even coming here felt like hiding, like running away… _

back there, back by the school buildings… wherever he was he felt their glances – worried, inquiring, expectant… wherever he turned he felt how their attention was swerved towards him as if he was the axis around which their world rotated…

"are you hurt, Kaname-sama?.."  
"you must be thirsty, Kaname-sama…"  
"anything I can do, Kaname-sama?"

"I'm fine, thank you, Luca, don't worry so much…"  
"Go help Aidou, Akatsuki, he needs you…"  
"No, Seiren, no orders right now…"

and even if his voice sounded too soft, too hollow to his own ears - others seemed reassured, or maybe just felt instinctively his desire to be left alone… for now… but they glanced onto him nevertheless – from time to time… waiting patiently for something… profound… something meaningful to be said…

_and I felt like a cheater about to be discovered…_

only – being alone didn't help either, did it?.. something was wrong with him and he couldn't even put a finger to an elusive whatever that made him feel so very far from triumphant… so… defeated indeed...

the sensation was nothing physical… but physically _permeating_ in a strange way - making his body feel tired, and limp, and somehow… empty… without a will of its own… heavy with almost sleepiness and yet… unrestful… unquiet..

_what an affliction…_

it was almost akin to the bloodlust at those first few moments when it awakens naturally, without being caused by severe injury or the scent of freshly spilt blood – in that it had the same unrelenting, unabating quality of something that can only grow – unless it's somehow sated… somehow released…

but… bloodlust it wasn't, he could tell it for sure – for… after all the exertions and what with the scents in the air, he felt the thirst too… and it was separate… not to strong, not – intruding, something he could contain for a very, very long time, and in a way – he was glad for this thirst as it served to… ground him in reality somehow… almost an anchor… something to hold on to as he struggled to concentrate, to discern the reasons for how he felt now, because it was…

_scary?.._

to feel so… _dejected… _for reasons that he couldn't fathom…

no not physical… though just as he was thirsty, he was also hurt… even though the tiny marks disappeared almost immediately as soon as the vines had dropped off… weren't deep or big enough to draw blood to begin with… they still hurt on the inside, will hurt for days perhaps due to their anti-vampire quality… but they were really a nuisance, no more than pin-pricks under his skin… quite a plenty of pin-pricks… yet he had definitely endured worse pain… and for longer on end…

for a moment – as he relived what the pain from the vines had been as they initially applied to his body… and even the memory made him gulp and a soft shudder ran across his spine and his nails dug urgently into the fabric before relaxing – he allowed himself to feel ridiculously hurt by the fact of how Yuuki hadn't even looked at him before she rushed to the fallen hunter, hadn't even asked if he was alright…

_but then… it __is how it's been for sometime now… _

…and could he blame her?.. in her eyes he was a pureblood – a being almost all-powerful, his recuperative power incomparable to ex-human's, as she well knew… and – he was standing, not lying as a crumpled toy upon rubble and snow… but surely she should've felt it?..

_through the bond that they shared… _

should've felt the moment when he wasn't breathing, caught up in the shear agony of the pain - like high-power wire, like some monstrous nettle – multiplied by ten thousand, like a lightning struck… it was a blessing it passed so quick… should've felt his relief, as he almost slid down shaking… but still stood…

but his Yuuki… was still so young as vampire… she probably didn't know that what she felt then – was through the bond…

and he tried to shield her too… even as the pain wrecked his body… even as his consciousness dazedly slipped back in place just vacated by Ridos unwelcome presence… he himself fought desperately to not let the pain translate to her… tried to spare her even the echo of what he felt…

_so – it was your own fault as usual… getting hurt around her… __around the one you were most loath to show your hurt… and yet perversely so wanted her to notice it by herself… _

he was starting to feel cold now, the winter chill sipping insidiously inside his long trenchcoat… one slender hand moved slowly to pull the collar up, then dropped… it was too much effort really… too much effort and not much help…

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AN: It is not _all_ of the second chapter as I saw it initially, but really… he thinks too much! (*glares at Kaname half-angry half-worriedly*) too much for his own good… *hopes that she hasn't wandered completely OC* And I have not much time to write - so it's either update with these tiny chapters or wait till the kingdom come....

Besides I'm really pondering one important issue that might influence the continuation of this story, or at least I'd like to come to some sort of clarity about it before I proceed, so if anyone has some ideas/theories on it, please, write them in your reviews or pm me. (**Edit: just added a topic on Kaname to my forums so - please just drop in and share your thoughts)** Namely, I'm puzzling over the whole "ancestor" thing – not even whether he is "an ancestor in Haruka and Juri's son's body" or "an ancestor in his own recreated body" or whatever, but rather on the psychological aspect of it all. I mean – it's all very well him remembering his "previous life" when he disintegrates the Council as a grown up, but what about little Kaname? The mangaka clearly shows him having some awareness of himself "ancestor" back then as well – as we see in the flashbacks. And yet – in the other fragments he behaves as a child of his (body's) age… And if he remembers himself – it can't be only about wanting to dismantle the Council… aaaargh… What do you think?

And to add to my problems two secondary (for the purposes of the story) characters started to fairly fight for the right to participate in it, threatening to pull it to future unknown… And now I have to sort it out before I'll continue… (deadline?.. what deadline?... oh yeah I still need to finish some _work_ but clearly this story won't let me rest in peace before it's written).

And - ehm, review please? I would so like to know your thoughts on my story so far... *is deathly scared readers hate her for OOC-ing Kaname*


	3. Solitaire 2: Inside the glass cabinet

Sorry it is short, but it is basically just the end of the previous chapter which I hadn't time to write before.

Many thanks to Hino Matsuri for the brilliant manga and characters (which I do not own - go figure), and many thanks to BlackenedWing, YenGirl, Sagakure and many other brilliant fanfiction writers for the concepts of blood bond and other useful things to know about the Vampire Knight universe which have grown to be "almost canon" and as such form the basis on which I elaborate in this story.

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…_your own fault… for clinging to what wasn't meant to be… to that tiny white lie of a hope that somehow… don't know how… the childhood's promise of happiness could yet be fulfilled…_

maybe because it was the only thing that made life endurable?

he of all should've known what happens with the one who tries to step in one river twice… yet every time he fell for it… this promise of belonging… every time since before Rido ever awakened him to this body… he couldn't help but pretend that this one time it finally was for real… that this one time it could last…

even while his other – more rational – part acknowledged the impossibilities, the dangers of being lulled into this false security… and prepared for doom…

"_wherever you turn there will be only darkness"… you got me right, Shizuka…_

only for him it wasn't only the sinister future invited… for him it was also his present… and his past…

all the things that he's done… all the things that were done to him… enduring and surviving, and scheming, and planning, not stopping for anything, not stopping for things he now cringed remembering… all to save his loved ones, his only haven, his only promise of the acceptance he craved?

_Was it just their different lives that drove them apart? Or was it I who have changed irreparably in the process?_

Was it his pride that always made him be strong for her – her protector, her wall, her onii-sama… even if she didn't remember it until just lately… even if he wasn't her real onii-sama to begin with? Or was it him being an almost invincible pureblood? A higher creature? The strongest beast – bereft of human fallacies?

Or was it he who shut himself in a mirror-glass cabinet built out of pride and fear? Fear that whoever saw the depths of his soul would only abhor the ruthless survivor that he's become, wouldn't look deep enough to see the reasons… and the pain… or would only scorn it… or would only use it… And it was so much safer to let everyone believe that invincible pureblood was all that he was…

Yet sometimes he wished someone cared enough to bang on that glass-cabinet till it broke… leaving him exposed for once…

_... and who is living in the garden of illusions now…_

Maybe it was time to relinquish the stupid hopes and to move on. Now that there was a promise of a better world for them all, now that he had fulfilled his oath, now that Rido was gone and the curse of his shameful subservience lifted… Maybe it was time to just live?

Yet the prospect somehow failed to cheer him up… And the lifted curse lay heavy and brittle as Rido's dust in his veins…For – if truth be told – he never ever planned beyond the end of his chess game… For – if truth to be told – he wasn't so sure he was any good at "just living"…

He heard the soft footstep approaching him hesitantly from behind… wondering briefly whether it was because he was so caught in his thoughts to be not aware of anyone's presence there before - whoever it was - was almost upon him…

Wasn't it ridiculous just how much effort it cost him to keep his shoulders straighter, _not_ shaking from the bone-wrenching cold that he felt…

Wasn't it ridiculous to feel so resentful of the intruder, where but a moment ago he almost whimpered for someone to _please_ come and help him… his body felt so heavy and he was so afraid…

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**AN:** And now is time to confess… You have read the author's notes to previous chapters, haven't you? (Well, despite the most frustrating lack of reviews *wink wink*, I presume someone _has _read those chapters. And whoever it was – has, presumably, read the author's notes as well… right? Right!) Now – _**forget them**._

Because between there and now the author has been bitten by the most vicious vampire plot bunny (probably pureblood – for all the _changes_ he wrought), or rather – an impudent character has crashed into my nice short elegiac story twisting it beyond recognition, and though I'm rather intrigued by the new premise – I now have absolutely no idea just how or when or where it will lead. The most I can promise – it is still, mostly, about our beloved pureblood…

Anyway – welcome to the ride. And while we are at it – there will be two VK characters appearing in the very next chapter, and I dare you guess who they are. Whoever guesses right will be awarded by a… cookie… and a deep satisfaction of own superior psychic abilities, because – frankly, if I wasn't writing it (dubious statement in view of recent developments) - I wouldn't guess them myself. Bu-u-ut, if you read the first chapter attentively – you can at least strike out those who can't be.


	4. The day of defeat

Many thanks to Hino Matsuri for the brilliant manga and characters (which I do not own - go figure), and many thanks to BlackenedWing, YenGirl, Sagakure and many other brilliant fanfiction writers for the concepts of blood bond and other useful things to know about the Vampire Knight universe which have grown to be "almost canon" and as such form the basis on which I elaborate in this story.

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Sayori Wakaba felt useless, and it irritated her no end.

Rushing out of the Sun Dorms she stopped momentarily as the cold bit lightly on her cheeks, cooling down the shameful red in them, and her fists squeezed on the ham of her coat as she fought the anger within.

It was herself she was most angry at, granted. Back to square one, back to that childhood's trauma of her father leaving them once he knew her mother was not going to give him a son. That whatever he was stuck with – forever – was just this one "useless girl". She thought she was way beyond this. Truly – she was… And to be brought back full circle seemed just so damn unfair… damn that… vampire… to rub it home for her…

Looking almost unseeingly around herself she was aware for the first time just what a shambles the formerly peaceful Cross Academy looked like – what with Moon Dorm gone – leaving a wide gaping hole of snow and rabble clearly visible from here, and the whole southernmost side of the Sun Dorm blackened with soot…

Somehow she couldn't bring herself to really care that that was exactly the side where Yuuki's and her room has used to be… somehow the fact that all her meager belongings were gone with the fire didn't quite register… not as something important… The important thing being that – whatever follows – it certainly didn't look that the school would survive the blow… didn't look that there would be any studies going on here – at least for some while…

And all her carefully built up self-esteem, all the identity she has build for herself within these walls – this cool and detached and no-nonsense identity of the class's best student…

and add calm and considerate and an excellent listener for good measure…

just went "puff"…

Her step quickened as she headed towards the woods surrounding the dorms and away from the site of disaster she couldn't remedy… away from the sight of suffering she couldn't help… After all she was told to "go take a walk… or something"? Good idea, thanks for suggestion… thanks so much!

Truth to be told… her persona has started to crumble weeks before then… week after week she was aware that something troubled Yuuki… her dear room-mate, her very precious friend – whose personality, spontaneous and upbeat and somewhat naive – so very opposite to Yori's own – was the only thing that prevented Yori from slipping entirely into the "ice queen" mode, and reminded her that just like Yuuki she was but a teenager and it was supposed to be fun to live and study here… well, week after week she knew something troubled Yuuki… all the times she seemed pale and depressed, or would wake up screaming from a nightmare, or would beam with such false happiness something was decidedly fishy about it… and yet, however much Yori tried to pry her friend to open up for her – Yuuki just shrugged it off, refusing to rise to her probing... making Yori feel…

useless as a friend…

in mild but annoying way…

And then came the revelations of this morning… and the thing that she actually, perversely felt immensely relieved – first when she herself had gathered up the courage to go and search for Yuuki, finally driven more by an urge to ascertain that her friend was alright, and not by her own – somewhat desperate – need to be needed, need to be relied upon, selfish need to be trusted, where she herself never trusted anyone enough to speak of her needs… She suspected though that the Chairman had known it from the beginning, she suspected that this was indeed why he roomed them together – knowing that she would always provide the grounding voice of reason where his own beloved adopted daughter had none whatsoever, knowing – perhaps- that Yuuki's genuine liveliness and unreserved affection will let Yori relax into a mellower mold.

Yes, she did feel perversely relieved… what with brief but intense first fear of the vampire attack… what with – staggering – revelation that Idol-sempai together with the rest of the Night Class, and Yuuki's beloved Kuran-sempai included were actually vampires themselves… part of her still danced a happy dance at the thought that this new Yuuki, this powerful and undeniably alien creature that she'd become on the outside – was still her Yuuki on the inside and desperately needed to be accepted as such!! Oi yey… as if she could not accept her – vampire or not? Of course she did…

And some somber, some entirely self-analyzing part of her admitted that it was a step in the right direction, a step up at last…

Step up… and then another step up… and then the whole stairway down…

She noticed with a start that her feet were inadvertently tugging her up the slope of the valley, to the little outhouse whence she was dragged unceremoniously by one Hanabusa Aidou, fangirls' favorite, mischievous playboy and… vampire… presumably – to save her from the… "battle"… that was about to ensue…

She could so good recall the way her mind had worked back then and her body cringed in an almost physical reaction – Gosh, her the pitiful human… (the word slipping out more derogatory out of her lips than ever a vampire would use it) …so ignorant, so presumptuous, so naïve…

Resolutely, Sayori turned at the right angle from where she was going previously. No, she was not going in this direction – not literally, nor figuratively… Maybe later, once her feelings of guilt and inadequacy have settled a little… maybe not at all…

It took her another five minutes to wander to the clearing around the lake that she aimed for – one of her favorite places in the entire Academy grounds. In a warmer season she would go here just before the curfew, to sit a little alone… save in the place not disturbed by the squeaks of fangirls gathered around the Moon Dorm gates. Here – where only birds squeaked and the water reflected the setting sun, and the shadows gradually lengthened… and she could be at peace before it was time to return to dormitory and call it a night.

She never came this way in winter though… but the morning was sunny and crisp… and she hoped that some of the peace – some more somber and bittersweet peace could still be recaptured here… and she needed the equilibrium back before…

…before she stopped short, just turning around the boulder for the sight of another person already there…

The vampires! Have they just conspired to haunt me now?!

Well it certainly seemed the case, as the person in question – sitting mute on the shore, has presently straightened lightly, and she stifled the cursing recognizing him as none other but Kaname Kuran himself…

Yori felt ridiculously cheated – once again. It was just one of those days, right? And what exactly high and mighty pureblood was doing here?

And what am I to do?

She suspected that the dark haired vampire knew she was there since… since she first had chosen this road instead of up-valley one.

So – should I go down and talk to him? Or should I leave him and go somewhere else?.. Oh whatever… but just standing here is stupid…

As she mused over her options though, she was gradually becoming aware of something slightly odd about the sitting figure. Something just a little, almost imperceptibly off… the very stillness of it, as if the Moon dorm president feared her coming nearer, or… feared that she would fear to come nearer, both possibilities equally off character for the usually imperturbable pureblood…

But then she knew he wasn't that imperturbable, didn't she? The look on his face as she saw him the last time inside the Moon Dorm, with Yuuki defiantly declining to leave with him – was one of such sad turmoil, such desperate desolate tremulous hopeless longing, she couldn't believe that when he spoke to Yuuki his voice sounded as softly warm and detached as ever before…

Was he sitting here because Yuuki there was keeping a vigil by Zero's bed? Did he know about it? Or was he hurt in the battle? Granted, according to her recent "crash course of vampire society" - purebloods were supposed to be those all-powerful, invincible creatures, but maybe that too was a lie – just as his cool "nothing can touch me" attitude proved to be? And having seen the shear scope of destruction the battle left in its wake – she wondered if someone could live through the thing unscathed… outside of stupid protected ignorants – humans – like herself…

Asking can't hurt you, right?

Only she wasn't so sure how to ask it. It was one thing to offer her ear and shoulder to Yuuki (not that it worked either), but to approach a pureblood vampire offering help?

"…wrong!.. You should fear us, Sayori-san… us of the Night Class… and moreover – the other vampires, God forbid you ever meet one…you catch us off-guard, we can suck you dry before we even will be aware that it were you…" – the remembered caution rang in her ears.

That was another consideration… But it was Kaname Kuran. Yuuki's Kaname… and whatever the relationship stood now between the three of them - Yori just knew that Yuuki would never forgive her if she left him here alone without so much as a word…

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AN: This chapter is more of Yori's POV, and I'm going somewhat AU from the manga, where it is clear that Hanabusa had taken her no farther than Day Class dormitory. But I like the notion of Yori not being confined with the squeaky fangirls, and learning more of vampires in the process. And of course – the battle I picture here is much grimmer, hence the extent of demolitions and injuries (though the Moon Dorm destruction is canon). I'm also afraid that my Yori is somewhat OC, and has definitely her own set of issues, further influenced by what she witnessed in the last pair of days.

Before you ask – there will be continuation of Yori's remembrances of that day in further chapters, and it will be dutifully explained exactly who and why told her to "take the walk". And there will be more of Kaname too, though he will be mostly viewed from others POVs in the nearest chapters. And – despite the obvious HanabusaXYori pairing (though still in a tentative way) – Hanabusa Aidou is not the other one of the two semi-main characters I asked you about (not that anyone harassed a guess anyway) – but that would have to wait till the next chapter, which – in turn – will have to wait till I find myself with web-access from India – where I'm leaving to in… about thirteen hours from now.

So – sorry, but the next update won't be till maybe Tuesday (because if I do not find the connection till then – I'll just go raving mad for the inability to watch the new episode, lol).

Oh, and it would be nice to find some reviews when I'm next among the (living) web-surfing *wink wink*


	5. Treasure hunting 1

OK, I've got a bit of time after packing, so I wrote this – it's raw, but I didn't want to let the plot bunny rot before I next get to computer. Well, and now – off to India I fly…

Many thanks to Hino Matsuri for the brilliant manga and characters (which I do not own - go figure), and many thanks to BlackenedWing, YenGirl, Sagakure and many other brilliant fanfiction writers for the concepts of blood bond and other useful things to know about the Vampire Knight universe which have grown to be "almost canon" and as such form the basis on which I elaborate in this story.

* * *

Still she felt too apprehensive to approach him face to face and chose just to come, respectfully, somewhat closer, at first a little stuttering on his name…

"K…kuran-sempai? Why you here… uh… are you alright?"

Her voice seemed to startle him, though she was pretty sure he knew she was right behind his back, maybe it was the fact that she really dared address him?.. for the first time in all their years at the same school?.. and there was a slight pause before he slid a bit sideways, half-turning in her direction – his face as usually pale and unfathomable but for a soft amused smile that played at his lips.

"Why, Wakaba-san, I am perfectly fine… You needn't worry for me…"

He turned again to the lake, lowering the gaze to where his hands lay languidly on his lap, and there was again a pause before he continued.

"What are you doing so far from dormitories anyway, Wakaba-san? There could be all sorts of people around here considering circumstances. Do return at once, will you?"

Sayori felt a shameful blush rise upon her cheeks, not only was her worry about him completely unneeded, but she also got reprimanded for her own carelessness. _Just one of them days…_

"Yes, of course, I will", she managed lamely. "I was assured that right now it's safe"

She was assured of no such thing, of course. She deduced it that it would be comparatively safe in the day time – based on that same "crash course". What she was said was literally "get lost and don't stick in the way". But she should return, of course, now that the Moon Dorm president had asked her to do so, even if it meant getting stuck with squeaky fangirls, her former classmates for the rest of the day…

"Even so…" came whispered so softly she barely heard it, "…Wakaba-san, can I ask you for a favor?"

She turned around to look on the pureblood, noticing for the first time the light dusting of snow on his black trenchcoat and – somewhat – on his dark hair, as if he was sitting like this for some time already… it hasn't snowed since she was brought back to the Sun dormitory, and then it was barely dawn.

"Yes?" she prompted, as it seemed that Kaname had forgotten that he wanted to ask her something, turned away from her still, and a little slumped over, head resting on the heel of his hand as if he was tired or sleepy.

Or maybe he just had second thoughts on whether he wanted to ask a favor of such a careless person…

"Forgive me…" gently rasped in the cold air, defying her reasons, "Could you _not_ tell the Night Class or… or Yuuki… that you have seen me here?.. I… I just need time to think. I… will come back later... when I'm finished, right?"

The request was easy, in fact reasonable, but as Sayori observed the pureblood… closer now, from this merely three-steps distance, a strange foreboding started to creep over her again.

Something was plain _wrong_ with him, whether physically or emotionally she couldn't fathom, but it was as clear as crystal she was not a person who could force him into admitting that something was so much as amiss.

Which just meant she would have to find someone to whom he would listen… Yuuki was the obvious candidate but he specifically asked Sayori to _not_ tell Yukki, and besides she was… otherwise preoccupied… _as they tell in TV romance…_ Vice dorm president Ichijou came as a close second – but he was bedridden himself, and – naturally, was part of the Night Class… and for some reason – worried as she were – she still intended to respect Kaname's request… Chairman Cross?

"Wakaba-san?.. Sayori?.." came with a hint of anguish, and the fact that he _was_ loosing at least as much of composure filled her with new sense of urgency. What was she thinking anyway, standing here like statue, never even telling that she will do as he asks.

"Uh… as you wish, Kuran-sempai… Good morning to you… Take care"

Her voice sounded way too bright and chirpy to her own ears… almost Yuuki-ish in one of her extremely… well, Yuuki-ish moments… and as she turned around and hurried away, she only hoped that Kaname would write the unnatural tone down to discomfiture on having to be "awoken"…

… where was she anyway?... oh yeah, Headmaster Cross seemed a perfect one to approach. Firstly, he wasn't in Kaname's "keep silent" list, secondly, he had known the pureblood since the latter's childhood, and thirdly, it was one of Yori's firmest beliefs that Yuuki's daddy could inspire, cajole or just downright _irritate _about anyone to do… whatever… All that she needed now – was find him as soon as po…

…turning around the bend of the path, Yori flew right into someone's rough, leather-clad chest… her head zinging sharply on the impact. And she almost fell backwards if not for a strong and steady hand, catching her none too gently by the shoulder before it actually happened.

"Hey, little girl! Are you running somewhere or from someone?" rumbled lazily somewhere above her head, and she looked up into one grey-blue eye that managed somehow to convey both amusement and concern simultaneously.

Well… she found… someone, that was for sure. The remaining question being - if she dared confide in him about Kaname.

Headmaster Cross was annoying, but mild and gentle, he cared about his students, and more perhaps about Kaname because of long-standing friendship between the two.

She wasn't all that sure about Yagari-sensei.

He didn't look like a teacher at all, with his eye patch and cowboy dressing. He looked dark, no-nonsense and dangerous – more so now, with a gun slung casually across one shoulder. And he looked like he knew how to use it this gun too.

And still he taught the Night Class, and got along good with the Headmaster, and from what Yori heard from Yuuki in bits and pieces – used to be Zero's teacher before he ever came to this school…

_and most important of course, he was _here_, not a five-minutes walk from the lake…_

"Has someone scared you?" the tall man crouched to be more on eye-level with the tiny girl. "Ah, Yuuki Cross' friend… Sayori-chan, are you?"

She nodded mutely.

_Just how am I going to explain?.. It _seemed _to me that Kaname was hurt or unwell? Like it's so believable? _

"Kuran…" she started. "Kaname-sempai…"

"Kuran has scared you, has he?"

There was something strangely sinister in the way that Yagari straightened up, his hand sliding softly closer to the belt of his gun.

_Gosh, was I terribly wrong to tell the man?_

"No, no…" now that she hurried to explain the words came all by themselves without hesitation. "He hasn't scared me… It's… He is sitting there by the lake… and it looks like something's wrong with him… but he won't tell me… please, Yagari-sensei, could you go and have a look".

"Kuran hurt?"

The older man seemed taken aback by her outpouring. More than that there was a glint of strange hesitation in his one good-eye – as if he couldn't quite see himself rushing to the aid of pureblood vampire.

"Oh well" he said finally, "guess it couldn't be helped – show the way!"

And still, as they followed the path through the sunlit forest, Yori, couldn't help but feel that the teacher is only following her reluctantly – to alley her worries. Deep down he didn't believe that what she said could be remotely true.


	6. Treasure hunting 2

OK, I'm in India, and I found web-access (though you can't even **begin** to imagine what the place looks like and what kind of computers they have – and they do not have head-phones *bawls* meaning I will have to watch raws without sound – never mind that I do not understand Japaneze, lol – it _**hurts**_).

The chapters will be short – per force, can't spend all day typing them, and I promise to work some more on them once I return (or find a better place to work on them at least). I'm now basically just moving the plot forward, because it won't let me rest otherwise – so, bear with me.

Oh – and I promise I will answer the reviews in the nearest future, I appreciate them very much. Thank you, guys, you're too kind )))

Meanwhile…

Many thanks to Hino Matsuri for the brilliant manga and characters (which I do not own - go figure), and many thanks to BlackenedWing, YenGirl, Sagakure and many other brilliant fanfiction writers for the concepts of blood bond and other useful things to know about the Vampire Knight universe which have grown to be "almost canon" and as such form the basis on which I elaborate in this story.

* * *

"So… what did you say was wrong with Kuran again?" Yagari asked when silence had become almost unbearable – and… hmm… if it was his way to show he was giving her the benefit of the doubt, he'd have to work better on it!

Yori's temper flared.

"Look," she announced, stopping dead in her tracks. "I know he's vampire pureblood or something… and I do not know what _is_ wrong with him, or how it is _possible_ for him to be hurt… so maybe, if you have such _problems_ with even going to check if he is alright, maybe I should just go find someone else? Someone who'd care?"

Her sudden outburst probably shocked herself more than the teacher – at least she didn't dare lift her eyes for fear she had made herself utterly ridiculous… she wasn't used to let emotions rule her to quite this an extent.

"Well, well," a soft chuckle drifted her way, and she was finally unable to keep the eyes down – letting them slide slowly to where the handsome sensei's face looked highly amused indeed, but also… maybe… a little contrite too. "looks like you have acquired quite a bit of vampire-lore in the last few days… By the way – it's "_pureblood vampire" _not "_vampire pureblood"…_ and you cannot even begin to imagine how strong they really are… Don't go mix in their doings, if you'd take my advice, Sayori-chan…"

She knew that it was basically meant as an apology on his part, but she still felt too raw about the whole matter, and his mention of how she had acquired all the knowledge in the course of one day… pricked that one little spot in her that was… yes… pretty achy… despite her decision to "not dwell on it" for a time.

"It's not like I've got a chance, Yagari-sensei," she answered, meeting him a glare for a glare, "seeing as my only best friend has recently turned to be one".

"That true…" the older man turned aside, as if there was something that bothered _him_ in what she told now, something he didn't want her to guess, or even get an inkling of. "Let us go check on whether your instincts were right about _Kaname-kun_… eh?"

He nodded, prompting her to lead the way again, and as the snow crunched under their feet as they strolled among the silent trees – the silence between them seemed more amiable as both have ascertained exactly where they stood.

***

She hadn't noticed even that the teacher had stopped sharply as they entered the clearing – her feet carrying her a pair of steps forward before she knew that he lingered and turned around to ask what held him…

…only by that moment Yagari already moved – switching from total stillness into a break-neck run, covering – it seemed – half the distance to the dark-clad slumped figure by the lake, before she once again had time to somehow react…

That sudden rush – as if someone has just pushed an "action" button for the usually laid-back teacher was reason enough to feel dazed, was reason enough to just stare dumbly, uncomprehendingly on what happened before her eyes…

See… _Yagari has knelt by the sitting vampire… is he telling him something?.. asking if something was wrong?.. no, it seems like he is imploring, ordering even… hell, why he shakes Kaname? And why doesn't the vampire resist?..._

See… _now what is he doing now?.. dropping the gun… shrugging his long-coat off… his jacket too… why?.. it is freezing… wait… is he wrapping both around Kaname's shoulders?.. hey, didn't he sound like he hated vampires before?... what is he doing?.. cradling him to his chest like this?.. he is going to carry him?.._

See…

She was so dazed – she barely made but a few steps down-slope and the teacher was already coming upward, covering ground in long and quick strides, as if the body he cradled was no burden at all.

She never thought the teacher was so strong – wow. Kaname was almost as high as Yagari himself… somewhat leaner, but not by that much, and here – he carried the pureblood without effort, and at such an amazing speed… for a human… (she cringed at remembered horror of being carried like this but with a vampire speed… _no, no time for that…_)

It wasn't until the teacher drew closer that she noticed little drops of sweat sliding softly down his neck, his breathing – deliberately even, but clouding in the chill air more than her own did… so it wasn't that light a burden after all…

She couldn't see Kaname's face, from where she stood, but she was pretty sure that it was where all teacher's attention was centered – his own sharply hewn features showing nothing but dark and troubled _concern_…

For a moment she thought he was going to just pass her without noticing, but the gruff voice brought her out of her reverie easy enough.

"Will you snap already?.. Either you follow, though I'm _not_ slowing down for you… or you go back to where everybody is… on your own…" the words interspersed by short silences of catching breath. "My priority now… is getting this kid somewhere… warmer… and soon…"

And – as if the happenings of the previous minutes were not enough, as if the body limply hanging around Yagari's arms (or was it all those clothes that hang so… she hoped) was not enough … it was that one tiny word that Yagari - with all his contempt for vampires, _especially_ purebloods - had used for Kaname now – one tiny word - that proved to her _beyond doubt_ that something was indeed extremely… terribly wrong.

* * *

AN: Yes, it is a cliffhanger – so – shoot me (and you won't know what comes next :D)


	7. The day of awakening

OK, it's not much of a chapter, more a filler that needed to be written, and pitifully almost wholly Kaname-less. But I promise to remedy it at the very nearest future, after all he Yagari has to bring the poor pureblood to the hut after all?.

Thank you to everybody who reviewed, I promise, I sincerely promise to answer every single review as soon as I'm somewhere for more than two days in a row. Right now keeping the chapters coming takes all that I have.

That said – I still do not own VK, all that I own is this demented plotline…

* * *

It wasn't long before first signs of wear manifested themselves in how their little sad caravan proceeded. They weren't even back to the main up-valley/down-valley track, when the teacher's gait got less steady and quick and she didn't need to run half the time anymore to keep in stride with him. Nevertheless, Yori chose to follow him, staying a little back, since – for one – she didn't know where he was taking them, and besides it was just plain painful to watch the single-minded determination drawn on his continuously more haggard face.

In a moment of clarity she thought…

_like she had something better than stumble along and think to herself, like there was anything she could do to actually help…_

…so, she thought that it was in fact extremely lucky for her, or indeed – for Kaname, that she had stumbled upon Yagari-sensei when she had. For even had she found Cross and brought him to the lakeside in time, the Chairman simply lacked both in built and brute strength to do what the younger teacher was doing now.

Even so – she wondered if Yagari's strength and determination could hold till they reach that warmer place that they sought. More and more he would falter, barely keeping his balance, more and more he would stop, resting the forehead on a nearby tree, shoulders heaving wildly in search for air, lips moving silently as he hadn't any more breath for an endless litany of _come-on-kid-s _and _hang-on-kid-s_ directed on the frighteningly still form held in his arms.

She was loosing count of times he would stop, and start going, cover some twenty meters and stop again, and it was pretty clear that such a struggle can't last indefinitely – sooner or later, and it seemed like it would be sooner – the teacher would break.

"Put him down, sensei," she said softly, her hand lightly touching the overstretched muscles through the sweet-drenched once lilac shirt. "Put him down and rest, or next you will drop him, or fall down yourself with him in your arms…"

"Wrong…" rasped like a torn fabric in a voice almost unrecognizable as Yagari's. "If I put him back now – I won't be able to hoist him back up… Don't worry girl… It's not far from here… In fact…"

He paused momentarily, fighting a wrecking cough, as if the shear act of talking took too much out of his already waning strength…

"You run along first…" he continued as the fit subsided, "up-slope from here, along the path… there is a hut, an outhouse… the key's under the door-mat… turn the heater on… should be warm… closed tight when leaving… turn it on still…need… warmth…"

And she felt her heart sinking a bit, with the dread all her own, as she ran to the place that she left but this morning, to the place which seemed like she was bound to there – yo-yo-Yori, hither and thither and back again…

***

"Talk to me", Aidou barked at her without turning, ad she felt a sting of angry tears right behind her eyelids...

_Just what right did he have to be angry at her? _

It is she, who should be angry - whisked away from her friend, who - she knew! - still needed her reassurance, still needed _her_! - and dragged now so unceremoniously that her hand hurt to whatever _safe place_!

Yes, she had all the rights to feel angry, and she'd _die_ before she let him see her tears...

"What about?" she asked instead, defiantly, proud that her voice neither cracked, nor shook.

"Whatever", came without so much as turned head.

"Would you mind slowing down?"- she was _talking_, wasn't she?

"Wrong topic!"

_Oh well!_

"If it's supposedly so _unsafe_ here, shouldn't you be paying more attention to our surroundings, not make me _talk?_"

She was goading him... a little... granted, and yet was completely unprepared to how quickly he moved, turning around, both hands pinning her by the shoulders, two furious blue orbs peering intently down in her own light-brown ones with a glare so cold - it looked like it could freeze everything half a mile around them... which, now remembering what he'd done with that bad vampire - she supposed it could.

"Look, human girl, I'll explain you this one time, and I hope you're clever enough to get it."

One long finger tapped non-too-gently on her forehead to stress the point.

"Humans have about 8 levels of attention... Geesh, I hope she's able to at least grasp a part of it..." he mumbled the last words in a brief "old Aidou" aside - not even bothering that she can hear it too. "Now, as a vampire, and a genius..."

_Gosh, the aplomb of the guy!_

"...I have ten, and three of them are now scanning the vicinity, around two try to concentrate on just hw utterly Kaname-sama will kill me if I do not carry out yet another of his assignments and something happens to you, and the remaining _five_ are busily looking for a way in which I can safely drop you _right here_, and return to where my friends, everybody I care about, are preparing to fight at who knows what odds... So," he finished already starting to turn to lead her further up-path, "do yourself a favor - keep those levels occupied - Talk. To. Me."

"What if I _want _you to drop me?"

This time he looked really scary, when he turned with a snarl - so entirely furious that even his fangs lengthened and there were reddish shadows dancing in his dangerously arrowed eyes.

"Wr-r-rong topic again, human girl!" - his face came really close, and her own temper flared mostly to cover for fear.

"Name is Sayori Wakaba, _vampire_!"

Strangely enough - it worked, the young vampire stumbling suddenly aback, eyes closed, hands tightly fisted, his whole slight frame trembling as he fought for composure.

"I... know it," the blue eyes opened again - all traces of red gone, and it was like Yori suddenly saw yet another Hanabusa Aidou - not the scary vampire of magic-like powers, not a mischievous playboy-genius, but a troubled teen not much older than herself, desperately trying to somehow handle all conflicting loyalties and do the right thing.

He caught himself though, almost immediately turning around, catching her hand again, dragging her forward, gesticulating lightheartedly with the other hand in his former arrogant manner.

"So... off we continue, right?"

And she asked herself if it was this day, perhaps, that made everybody behave in such out of character manner? Or was she just "seeing things"? Or was it indeed that she was paying attention finally to start seeing things that were there all along?

"Ai... Aidou-sempai..." she started meekly.

She felt his hand jerk her roughly forward - compensating for moment of openness before... Then the young vampire stopped abruptly, so that she almost stumbled into his back.

"_Please_ talk to me, Sayori-san," he said very quietly, "There is ash on the airs and it makes me... it rakes on my nerves..."

He walked forward almost immediately with her still in tow, but she noticed that he didn't grip her forearm quite so forcibly anymore, and his stride shortened somewhat to accommodate her steps.

"Aidou-sempai..." she asked somewhat timidly. "Please, don't be angry at me, I'm just... a bit bewildered by everything, I guess... This whole _safe place_ thing - do you think it's really necessary?.. I mean, everything seemed so peaceful... eh, before that... vampire jumped out of nowhere... Maybe he was just a... stray, you know?.. uh... rogue?.. well, like thieves or robbers among humans? And you've already dealt with him? Eh... maybe everything is already alright?"

She expected him to maybe get angry again, or not dim her reasoning worth an answer... instead he... laughed!.. Well, not so much laughed - but chuckled loudly with extreme amusement.

"Wow, you're really something, Sayori-san... All you know about vampires is this one today's experience, all vampires you've met knowing them for what they are can be counted on the fingers of one your cute hand... and you _already_ come up with theories that would _explain it all_!.."

"Then maybe you could explain me about vampires, Aidou-sempai?"

If he wanted her talk about _something_ why not make the talk useful, she _had_ to learn more to better understand Yuuki, now that she was one... _to be of help..._

"Me?!. Explain you about vampires?!"

Wow if it wasn't indignant _whelp!_

"Yes," she pressed on calmly. "After all - you are one, and you lived with them your whole life, and... you are a _genius_ - shouldn't be any problem for you - to give me a lecture on them".

"More like a _crash course_..."

But she could tell he was already warming to the idea...

And so he started talking - first in bits and pieces, jumping from topic to topic, but more and more slipping into a sort of scientific lecturing mode, and she had to admit he had a real talent to present it all concisely and logically - she was certainly enjoying his lecture more than she did with some of the teachers at school.

He had also grown considerably calmer himself - as she knew he would, since _talking_ was even better than _listening_ I taking up what he referred to as "attention _levels_" but what she had usually seen called "attention _slots_".

In fact he became so very engrossed in his "crash course" that she had to tug on his hand to make him notice they had been actually standing before a small outhouse for a whole of five minutes already.

"Is this the place, Aidou-sempai?"

It took him a visible effort to snap to his current surroundings (_so much for scanning the premises, eh?)_

"Yes, that is," Hanabusa seemed momentarily nonplused, "shit, it looks like someone has settled in here... Last time I saw it the place was totally abandoned!"

He held her at an arm's length behind himself, as he did something she didn't quite detect but for a wave of cold air that seemed to rebound in their direction, then bent to retrieve a key from under the door-mat.

"Here, the iron cools easier than almost anything save water".

He cautioned her to stay behind as well as he entered the house, before motioning her tojoin him.

"It is alright, the owner is not likely to return soon. And even if he does - he won't harm _you_".

And she obediently entered after him into warmth that awaited inside...

***

Now she stood once again before the same hut, the door hanging limply aside on its broken hinges - the result of Luca's unceremonious entrance, the insides of the house chilled to almost outside temperature - nothing like the warmth that met her before.

_And its all because of me..._

But there was no time for such defeatist thinking right now.


	8. Finders keepers 1

OK, after a somewhat longish pause I continue. But the good news I will be here in Goa for two more days and I already have about a third of the next chapter written, which picks up where this one ends. And if I have time I will try to answer the reviews in this two days also - for now, just believe that your opinion is hugely important for me - it's indeed the lack of time and being constantly on the move that prevented me from answering earlier.

And I still do not own VK in whichever form, and am just using its characters and plot for my own little character development in this story - just for the fangirly fun.

* * *

Touga Yagari felt tired, and it was putting it mildly…

First of all – he hadn't slept since early the previous morning…

…_previous __**night**__. Face it, Touga, the sun wasn't nearly up by then, so – face it, Touga, that was __**night**__…_

Then there was the fight, and then – Cross left for the Hunters' Association – partly to extricate himself from the charges the former President had filed against him, partly to pull some strings and push some buttons that he still had within since the olden times – to try and sway the now headless Association into the right path. That wouldn't be easy, but Touga had a firm belief that somehow the old fox would make it work.

_Just look – who'd think this Academy of his would prove such strange a success…_

That said – Cross left and that meant that it was Touga's turn to somehow pull together the rather bewildered hunters here on the Academy grounds and to firmly ascertain that they fight and kill only the Level D's and E's Rido provided in ample quantity, and _not dare touch_ even by chance the already diminished (thank God through wounds rather than more permanent damage) numbers of the Night Class students.

It was, of course, already after the main battle was won, but still an occasional Level D would pop up out of nowhere, or an occasional hunter would wander too close to where pale and exhausted moon-dormers tended to their wounded class-mates and friends, gradually moving them to the infirmary and makeshift beds inside the canteen.

The worst thing, probably, was that the hunters wouldn't remove themselves from the grounds altogether – so, in the end, when everything seemed to quiet down – he just had to tell them to go camp in and around Cross's house. And no – it wasn't out of spite, just the most logical place to keep them out of the way for now…

… _and let Cross come and deal with them afterwards…_

With that he decided to finally consider his job done and go catch the long awaited nap in the hut – the fully restored but never used by Cross outbuilding - that he had freely availed himself of in the last pair of days. That is – he _was_ going to catch that nap before that _girl_ ran right into him…

No – it wasn't true… at that point he could've well get clean out of it and never think of it twice… and bug his curiosity as to what could've happened to the almighty pureblood, and bug that Cross was for some inexplicable reason so fond of that guy… Yes, he could've just told that girl: "Go find someone else"… And he'd be home and sleeping soundly by now…

***

It was the sight of the pureblood that did it, and the dire condition he was in…

_Overexposure, my ass!.._

Or rather – overexposure was a factor in it – the vampire was almost frozen to death, and it was that that hastened the hunter's tired step towards the place where he could carefully un-freeze his first surprisingly light and now almost unbearably heavy burden…

_If I wasn't that tired already… or if he was conscious to hold onto me himself…_

The purebloods lasting unconsciousness was not what worried Touga either. In his condition it was only natural that the mind would shut out. And in fact, the boy…

…_and just when did you start to think of him like this, Touga?.._

… the boy had come to briefly – back when he first started carrying him from that lake. The garnet-colored eyes opened – dazed, softly enquiring, but at the same time – already resigned to whatever answer they find… Touga tried to imagine what he himself would've felt if he woke up – weak and dazed and found out he's being carried by a vampire… and shuddered inwardly…

The boy in his arms though didn't show a sign of fear. The lips moved slowly as if the mere act of speaking was demanding all the concentration the vampire was currently capable of:

"You aren't taking me to the m…" he faltered, as he obviously started to say "the Moon Dorms" but then remembered that they were no more.

"My hut… Outbuilding… by the very edge of the Academy grounds", the hunter provided to spare the boy the questioning.

"Good…" drifted softly, just as the garnet eyes closed tiredly again, and Touga could've sworn that the word – if he didn't imagine altogether hearing it – was tinged with relief…

_Which nicely brings us back to what worried you in the first place… Overexposure, my ass!.._

The pureblood should've been immune to any overexposure to begin with… unless he was wounded by a hunter-spelled weapon or suffered from an immense blood loss… But the vampire seemed unharmed when Touga last had seen him the previous evening – mingling in somewhat remote and distanced manner with the surviving nobles in the Sun Dormitory yard. Nor did he have any new wounds or fresh blood stains on his garments – that was the first thing that Touga checked for when he rushed to Kaname by the lake…

Something irked in his mind, some distant memory of somewhere, somehow having seen a person collapsing for no visible reason long after the battle had been won… but the memory refused to come closer, to reveal itself clearer… and he stopped puzzling over it… it didn't matter now. Right now the hunter hand more pressing things to do on his hands…

…_quite literally – and growing colder, heavier and limper by the moment…_

"Come on, kid… you just hang on, kid…" whispered the hunter hoarsely as he had done innumerable times since the lake, "Just a little bit longer… just a tiny little bit longer… you just hang on in there, kid…"


	9. Finders keepers 2

Not anywhere near all the scene, but here you go…

And I still owe nothing – especially VK.

***

Stumbling up to the hut he was surprised to find the Sayori-girl standing outside the door, her hands on the doorknob , not waiting for them inside where it should've been still warm… but then she opened the door helpfully to let them in and as it hung limply to the side, held in place by only one hinge – a feeling of sick dread grew up in his stomach…

_Oh no, God… please, no, God!.. please!.. yes…_

… it was just barely, barely warmer inside than it was outside… Even with the heater set at full force it had taken him almost a full day to get the cabin to comfortable warmth before… and he just simply didn't have time for it now.

The pureblood was slipping… he felt it in his bones – slowly and resignedly slipping into the cold dark numbness that – Touga knew it from what the other people who'd experienced this kind of exposure told – felt almost like comfort, almost like release… and if the hunter wanted to bring the bugger out of it, bring him back before he was gone beyond the proverbial no-return point – he had to move fast.

"Why do I bother?" he asked himself even as he lowered the body gently on – oh so cold – bed, kneeling beside, because bending was just something his body wouldn't do right now. "Why do I care what happens to this arrogant… scheming… almighty… and pretty much acting as if he's omniscient to boot… creature?"

But the bluish-pale face that emerged when he opened the protective folds of his own longcoat didn't have the perpetual half-guarded half-amused all-knowing look that oh so irritated Touga on the young vampire… Now, as it relaxed into unconsciousness, his face looked sad, and tired, and filled with such an immense, such _habitual_ sorrow – that the hunter's heart lurched a familiar tenderness previously reserved only for one another tormented vampire child…

"Getting your family extended… eh, Touga?" he imagined Kaien Cross's voice chirping ironically in his head… Kaien Cross – who's own "family" was long being extended to where he was prepared to kill or die for any child in his Academy – Day and Night Class alike – not only for Yuuki and Zero… who weren't actually his children either… and were both vampires now…

"Shit…" the hunter swore silently as his fingers fumbled uselessly on the open neck of the vampires shirt – searching for pulse… There had to still be a pulse, the vampire was strong, there had to… but his hands were too numb from cold to feel any… with his body all sweat-drenched for the exertion – wasn't it strange that his hands would grow cold, only gradually un-numbing into throbbing unwieldy hotness now …

_Wait!... Hot?.._

With lightning speed – or so it seemed to him – where in fact his movements were uneven and sluggish – he sprang to action, moving the aged, inordinately heavy recliner to where it would be nearest to the heater, where its full blast would come directly on it.

Returning to the motionless figure on the bed he unwrapped Kaname out of the longcoat and jacket, but faultered when it came to the pureblood's own trenchcoat – his fingers just weren't on par to deal with the buttons right now.

"Help me", he rasped to the girl, the urgency of his voice getting to Sayori, as she came to his side and together they removed the wet and heavy garment off Kaname's shoulders.

"Boots too", the hunter urged further cradling the now undressed to the silken shirt vampire closer into his arms and simultaneously fighting to get rid of his own footwear… Asking the girl to remove the pureblood's boots was one thing – the vampire looked ridiculously _clean_ even now, when Touga knew he had been up and about for at least as long as the hunter himself, - but he just knew _for sure_ his socks _stank_… besides, he wasn't all sure if he had checked them for holes when he donned them the previous morning.

_What __**stupid**__sensibilities to be having at a moment like this…_

"Good", he croaked once both deeds were eventually accomplished. Cringing from the cold as his feet touched the floor of the hut, he hobbled with Kaname in his arms to the waiting recliner and slowly lowered himself to half-sit, half-lie on it, positioning the cold and limp body on top of his own, so that Kaname's feet stretched to his own, and the vampire's head was resting on his shoulder, pressing the pureblood as tightly as he could to himself to ensure full body contact.

"Now, throw everything you can find upon us", he commanded the waiting girl, "bedclothes, covers, our clothes, even floor rug if there is one…"

"You aren't going to lay him in bed?" the girl asked. But he was relieved that even while asking she was already bringing the blanket, and when she wrapped it around them he was surprised that the cloth felt warmer than he expected and belatedly realized that the girl must've piled the bed covers before the heater, when she understood – she'd never have time to warm the cabin enough. "Good thinking," he admitted silently, "good thinking… nice girl…", and his voice caught with gruff gratitude as he explained:

"After all the exertions my body is perhaps the warmest thing there is in this whole damn… uh, never mind… the whole of this room. He would be better this way".

It was subtly unnerving to have the vampire's (and _pureblood's_ at that) head pushed face down so close to his own neck, it made him feel _threatened_, but the hunter checkered his instincts. In the state he was in the boy was not going to be _able_ to move fast, not fast enough for him not to be able to stop him effectively before the _unthinkable_ happens – even if Kaname's body decided to reach for his blood… unconsciously… He didn't know how he knew it – but he was pretty sure that _consciously_ Kaname would never do it – not to the person who was trying to save his life.

The hunter wondered if it were Kaien's stories of the boy and his parents, or whether he himself had come to grudgingly admire the very _nobility_ of this Kuran princeling… to a certain extent… even though the certainty he felt now was so alien to the one who had professed to _never_ trust a vampire – least of all a pureblood…

Maybe it was just that the boy was just too damn proud to do such a thing… Yeah, too damn proud and full of himself…

But the words fell hollow and meaningless, overshadowed by concern, as he pressed the vampire's body ever closer to himself, urging it to soak in the heat that his own body provided.

"Come on, kid… just soak it in, do… just show me you're still in there somewhere…"

He thought he felt a small flutter, a small feather-like shiver run along the purblood's frame, but it was so light he couldn't be sure he felt it, couldn't be sure it wasn't his own body that shivered – relaxing after the strain.

If the one he was saving were human – the hunter knew that feeding the overexposure victim small amounts of warm salty water would help. He wondered if similar treatment would be good for vampires…

_Certainly not one of subjects they teach us as hunters – how to __**save**__ the beasts…_

There was of course another sort of liquid that he knew _would_ help a vampire – undeniably warm and even a trifle salty… it was just that all his hunter feelings rebelled at the very thought of it…

The next soft tremor ran all along the vampire's spine right under his hand – unmistakable now… And then they started coming in quick succession, until the whole slender body in his arms was shivering wildly – the breaths fluttering over the hunters shoulder coming in as hiccups and out as strangled sobs – as the nerves in the unconscious vampire's body re-awakened to the pain that was life.

"Oh, come on, Touga, is it time for your stupid _sensibilities_ now?!" the hunter thought as he held Kaname tightly, as much for warmth now as for sheer relief mixed with a deep concern in the face of boy's obvious distress. "One just does what one hast to. So – you have to do _this_…"

He looked for the girl that he knew was somewhere nearby – as she was – sitting on the bed at attention, huddling a little for warmth in the still chilly air inside the hut.

"Sayori-chan? Hey? Go to the kitchen now… find a clean cup… no, scratch it – heat up some water and wash one… and the knife… sharp. And there should be some bandages in my pack in the corner… just bring it all over here, will you?" Touga knew he sounded gruff, impolite and commanding – but he was rushing it up so that _he_ wouldn't change his decision, see? "Oh… Sayori-chan…" he added as an afterthought hit him, "have you also turned the water-heater on – for the bathroom?"

The girl stopped at the kitchen door and smiled at him brightly – seemingly unperturbed by his lack of manners:

"Yes, Yagari-sensei, as a matter of fact – I have".

So, she thought about it as well… nice clever girl – this…

"Will you adopt her too – now?" came the Kaien Cross-like voice in his mind and the hunter snorted angrily.

"No, I won't, and I'm not like adopting anyone – full-stop, you hear it? So shut up already, old man, alright?"

And the voice in his head went obediently silent.


	10. Finders keepers 3

Not down to the bathroom scene yet - but the blood-letting turned out a bit prolonged, and I sort of like it, and you'll learn something new about Touga Yagari in the process, so I hope it helps you wait for more (which willbe already from home - hurray! - though I rather liked India). And I'm hopeless with the chapter titles - so, if anyone has any suggestions for the existing ones - go ahead and suggest, but I rather like the ones I have because they follow the "solitaire as a lone gem" theme.

And I still do not own nothing - and not VK either.

And I'm still very thankful for reviews but will answer them from home - now soon)))

* * *

"I'll ask you one question, Sayori-chan, and you'll have to answer truthfully", he said as he positioned the cup on the armrest farthest from the pureblood, who was now shivering almost unremittingly – which was a good sign, of course, but if the hunter could spare the boy at least part of the agony that accompanied the thawing – by now he was more than willing to do anything… well, almost anything…

_Alright, and now if I put my wrist here over the cup…_

"So, Sayori-chan, are you afraid of blood?"

"No, I'm not".

The answer came too readily, and it disturbed the hunter a little, he'd really prefer if the girl had given his question _some thought_. But she seemed calm enough, so maybe it was alright after all.

"Well, then," he continued decisively, "I'll hold my arm like this and you'll have to cut my wrist".

"Cut… your wrist?"

_Oh, that left you shaken a bit? Good, because here I was thinking you are __**unnaturally **__cool…_

"He needs blood…" he explained simply, but even before he finished speaking the hunter had to turn away, so that the only part of his face the girl could see would be the one covered by the eye-patch. For some reason the simple phrase felt too intimate to him, too revealing…

_You are getting damn mellow, Yagari, damn too mellow for a hunter…_

He didn't know why the concern he felt for the pureblood, the concern he'd _die_ before admitting – was troubling him so much… He was supposed… no, his whole life had _taught_ him to distrust vampires, to _fear_ them – with a kind of fear that only made your aim truer and your instincts more alert… So, alright, he cared for Zero… But Zero was _not a vampire_ in his eyes – not by nature, or at least – not by birth… and he had been his pupil long before it all happened… But caring for a pureblood – even if weak and defenseless – was not his sort of thing… it was damn _Cross-Kaien-ish_ kind of thing…

"I know he needs blood," the girl said meanwhile, "but wouldn't it be easier if you just let him… No, I know, I know," she interrupted quickly as Touga spluttered indignantly. "First, he obviously cannot do it himself right now, and second, he is a pureblood – and his bite would… well, you know… OK, I'll do it."

But she hesitated – the knife in hand – almost bringing it to Touga's wrist, then lowering it again… till his arm started shaking, being kept outstretched over the cup like this… besides it was pretty uncomfortable to try and hold the shivering vampire from sliding single-handedly.

"I thought you told me you aren't afraid of blood, Sayori-chan?" he asked with heavy sarcasm, forgetting momentarily that he had been _initially prepared_ to do it himself, in case that she said she was.

"It's not that!" Indignation added color to the girl's normally cool demeanor, and he remembered how she had rebuked him earlier, back on their path to the lake. "It's not about blood… I… I just ever had to cut anybody before…"

She was right, of course, he was demanding too much from her, and till now she never failed to deliver. Whatever else, unfairness was not one of traits Touga liked in people – more so in himself.

"Never mind", he told almost gently, taking the knife out of her unresisting hand, "I can do it myself. Only," the hunter couldn't help teasing her a little – if only to snap her out of thinking about her recent 'shortcoming', "_first_, you'll have to keep this young man from sliding from me, since both my hands will be busy, and _second,_ you'll have to hold the cup under the wound – so I hope you still answered truthfully – about the blood. That's _my_ blood, you know, I wouldn't want it to spill everywhere and go to waste."

The girl looked at him sharply, as if to assure herself that he indeed wasn't angry with her – a small sound – almost a beginning of a "thank you" formed on her lips, but she just nodded in understanding and scurried off to his other side – to press her little body into the thrashing vampire to keep him in place.

Cutting his wrist with both arms outstretched over the vampire's body was not an easy task, but he managed to deliver two deep enough crisscross cuts, and started pumping with his fist as soon as he felt the cold edges of the cup press to his skin to receive the flow… and he let the knife slip to the floor and turned away, because he… well, because he…

"Thank you, sensei," he heard the girl speak out softly, and his eyes went to where she still was helping to hold the pureblood, even though now one of his arms was free he could do it himself. "Thank you the more, since I see now you are… you do not care for the sight of blood yourself…"

His head jerked aside – but not before he felt the red-hot blush creep across his cheeks and neck, and it took an effort to look back into the girl's serious and – damn it – way too considerate eyes as he admitted something not even all of his closest friends were aware of (but which she guessed anyway) – the voice coming as a dark croaking growl – full of deep shame…

"Not… afraid… 't makes me nauseous… but… I manage…"

Yes, he managed alright – he managed to cut open his wrist right now, and he managed to bandage his own and his comrades' wounds many times over the years, and nobody needed to know that he chose the gun over the blade – as his preferred weapon – because it made it somehow more remote, because the person whose blood you spilled was far enough from him… and what with the kind of shot he was and the kind of vampires he usually had to fight – there was more dust spilled than blood… besides it was normally easier to forget the discomfort in the rush of the battle – and if he threw up afterwards – nobody minded it… actually – many did, because of the dust – which, ironically, didn't affect him at all… So… yeah… he managed…

"Yes, you do. Admirably so", the girl's voice came as an echo of his thoughts, and he felt unaccountably comforted with her acknowledgement. "And you can stop pumping, the cup is almost full. Just hold your hand wound-up, I'll bandage it in no time. Only let me put the cup down somewhere".

And she did indeed – calmly, quickly and professionally… nice girl… ah, but he'd thought it already…

With his both arms free now, the hunter pulled Kaname's body a little up, cradling the boy's head in the crook of his elbow, face up, as he took the cup and tried to pry the vampire's tightly pressed lips open.

Now that it was in the cup – the sight of blood didn't affect the hunter quite so… well, he could imagine… even if his hunter perception cried that it wasn't… but well, he _could_ imagine it was just… tomato juice?

_Always hated the thing… because it looked too much like blood?_

_If only the boy would open his lips and drink it and be done with it…_

"Come on, kid," he urged, pushing the cup between the stubbornly unyielding lips, "Come on, you know you need it… Come on, open up for me, kid!.."

And then the slender body in his arms went rigid, frightening the hunter at first until he realized that it only meant – the vampire had awakened and was now fighting down the pain and the shivers with all he could – more so, because the wet streaks on his cheeks must've revealed to him just how utterly he succumbed to them – while unconscious. Touga's gaze wandered higher up the vampire's face, to where the wet girlish lashes spiked around two half-opened tortured eyes, but the lips of the pureblood parted in a little amused smile, and a familiar – self-assured, if a little shaky voice drawled quietly:

"Why, sensei… this sounds so awfully _gay_…"

Damn, Touga felt like he was about to water up himself – so good it was to hear this arrogant voice again, and he turned away, pushing the cup deeper into the opening the smile provided, letting the blood spill into vampire's mouth.

"You… just drink this up… vampire…"

He knew beyond doubt that the levity of tone was forced, that Kaname was still in a great deal of pain right now, and if his hunter's senses screaming of how frighteningly weak and defenseless the body in his arms was – were not enough, he needed only to watch the slow and painful way in which the pureblood sipped the blood – a little by a little – where by all rights he should've been gulping it down hungrily. No, things were far from right with the pureblood yet…

And again that elusive memory slipped through his mind – too fast and unclear for him to catch…

The pureblood finished all of the cup nevertheless, licking the few last drops from its edge, then running the tip of his tongue over his lips fastidiously, sighing softly as he let his head fall back on the hunter's elbow – as if it was a piece of extremely hard work he had just finished. Which – in his current condition – it probably was.

"Thank you for your blood, Yagari-sensei. I trust it was yours, and not Wakaba-san's?"

"Was mine", the hunter confirmed gruffly.

"Then thank you again…"

The dark lashes fell back onto the pale cheeks, but the hunter knew the vampire was still conscious, even as his face relaxed a little as the pain gradually subsided under the influence of the blood he took… And then Kaname muttered under his breath – not to anyone really – just to himself and the world in general: "God, I feel like shit…" – and it was spoken in such a helplessly surprised voice, so without the usual Kaname-poise, and was such an utterly normal teenager thing to say… that the hunter felt… he felt…

…_damn, he isn't crying for no damn vampire… damn, Kaien, old fox, you hear me?.. because I'm not repeating it under no damn condition… you were right, old man… it is __**not right**__ if our children have to fight and suffer forever… no matter what race they belong to… it is __**just not damn right**__… _


	11. Finders keepers 4

**AN: **It's not very Christmass-y a chapter, but considering that some people awaited the promised "bathroom" scene – it could be considered a present nevertheless. Many thanks to YenGirl for beta-ing it!!!

Besides – **everybody who reviewed me**: I have finally answered all the reviews you've written for my story – the answers are in a special thread in My forums – will post the link on my profile page, so that it's easy to find.

And – **I do not own VK** – and maybe it's for the better…

* * *

It wasn't long after that that the vampire passed out again into something borderline between unconsciousness and deep tired slumber, the fact apparent to the hunter by the small residual shivers – nothing like the previous shudders – that started passing through his limbs again, gradually diminishing, as soon as the pureblood's tight control on his body slipped. It was good – the boy needed his rest, now that he was out of immediate danger of dying from overexposure, and it was still early afternoon – the time when vampires were _supposed_ to sleep… but even though the air within the room was warming a little – Touga knew that to absolutely ensure no lasting damage came as a result of his young charge's freezing he had to ascertain that the vampire was thoroughly warmed – through and through – before he could allow him to just sleep off the after-effects.

"Sayori-san," he called softly, careful to not awaken Kaname, even if such a possibility seemed extremely unlikely, "turn on the water running in the bathroom, will you? Make it not very hot – just so that the tiles and air warm a bit before I bring him in. And put the blanket and bedcovers before the heater here, when I do".

As the girl nodded and went into the bathroom…

"Bathroom!" The hunter chuckled. "Seems too grand a word for a simple combined affair lacking even a shower-cabin as such."

Still, he knew that even though the small boiler was only able to provide about ten minutes of hot water running at best – the small room should fill with enough of vapor, which would be warm enough even after he switched the shower off. And at least – in there he could undress the pureblood safely to check that no part of him suffered any serious damage… both from frost-bite and whatever had caused him to succumb to one in the first place.

Tiredly he got one arm out from under the heavy mound of cloths that the girl had covered them with and started slowly removing them, preparing to get up. From the size of the mound he seriously suspected the girl had taken his order to throw "all possible cloths" on them all too literally – he'd wonder if she had even went as far as taking down window drapes for that purpose if the subdued lighting filtering into the room from the afternoon didn't prove that it wasn't the case.

God, he felt tired… even sitting in the recliner didn't help – his muscles only grew heavier from their switch from overuse to disuse and he took extra care in getting up slowly with the unbalanced weight of a deeply sleeping vampire in his arms, giving a wider circle around the pile of covers lest he tripped on them, sliding sideways into the bathroom through the door that the girl held open to him…

"Stay close by," he cautioned the girl as she was closing the door from the outside, "so you hear if I call for you…"

He wasn't planning to – not with the naked vampire inside – but Touga felt even his mind was starting to succumb to tiredness now… what if he had forgotten something? What if he needed something? What if the boy was wounded after all?.. Just… in case…

"It is sure cramped in here", he sighed as he gently lowered the vampire on the tiles in a half-sitting position, the youth whimpering a little in his slumber as the stray droplets fell on his silken shirt and the water on the floor started filtering into the fabric of his pants.

_And pray he doesn't wake…_

He wasn't sure at all what would be the vampire's reaction to being undressed by a hunter – were he awake… hell, he wasn't sure what his own reaction would be – were his charge to awaken now, while he was undressing him… so… _completely_… it was way too embarrassing to do so while the boy was out cold.

_Yeah, cold all right…_

The young vampire's skin wasn't quite so frighteningly _frozen_ as it had been when the hunter found him back by the lake, but it was still rather cool to the touch and the teacher felt more confident in his decision to get him hot-showered, his fingers hurrying up through the long line of buttons on the front of the boy's shirt. He tugged the sleeves off gently then, leaning the kid's head onto his own shoulder, and threw the half-wet shirt into the far corner to keep it out of the way.

The pureblood remained sleepily pliant during the removal of shirt and then the socks, but when Touga unzippered his trousers and started to pull the back of them down his butt the vampire's body recoiled so sharply away from the hunter that the latter had barely time enough to stop him hitting his head on the toilet bowl and lower him softly onto the even surface of the tiles. In the first moment of shock Touga thought the pureblood had awakened after all – conceding that it could be unnerving to awaken to someone removing your pants and underwear… but that seemed to not be the case. So far he could tell – the boy was still asleep or unconscious – yet he continued to whimper and trash a little in distress, curling almost into a fetal position on his side, as the hunter tugged the by now thoroughly wet and clingy pants from his legs…

…_makes one feel like a damn violator – him reacting like this…_

The boy calmed somewhat when the clothes were finally off though – lying there under the gentle rain of the shower, and Touga found himself reluctant to touch him for fear of further distressing the boy, even though he really needed to turn him over to see that the other side of his body was as unharmed as the topmost side…

"At least if he had a wound that was only closed by cold that would be bleeding by now", he thought, and it most thankfully didn't. He stood to pick the muzzle of the shower, and started passing it over the vampire's body – head to toe, gradually increasing the warmth, and was gratified to see the pureblood relax under the streaming water to the point where he stretched full length finally on his back, nearly taking all the floor-space of the tiny bathroom, and allowing the hunter to see that he seemed indeed unharmed.

Nor did he seem to have any telltale white spots of lasting frostbite visible – his skin still pale but gaining a warmer hue under the flush of hot water, though his toes and hands and the very tip of his nose shone bright red, and the hunter wondered momentarily if they would peel afterwards as they would've if the boy was human. The idea of a pureblood peeling as a mere mortal appeared ridiculous, but Touga figured that in his current weakened condition there was a fair chance that he would, and for some reason it saddened the hunter… and something else… ah, that memory again that he was sure was something important… something he should've remembered… and he guessed that if so – in time he surely would…

As the shower water spilled along the vampire's body the hunter found himself fascinated with it despite himself. It wasn't what he expected… he didn't know how to put it better, but in a way – that was as good a way to express what he saw - looking at it now - as any other… Somehow – always dressed in those impeccably tailored clothes, surrounded by that powerful pureblood aura and wearing that "been here too long and seen it all" expression – the vampire had always seemed so very grown-up and mature – it was a revelation to see him now – uncovered – as the teenager he really was. In a way his body was _less_ developed than the one of the hunter's other charge – Zero, which only made sense if one considered all the rigorous training the younger boy started even as a child, and then continued at the Academy – both to better fulfill his duties as a guardian and as an attempt to tire himself beyond feeling anything – meaning _blood lust_, however counterproductive this technique really was. Kaname on the other hand always had his vampire powers - both mental and physical - to rely upon, and the hunter doubted that he'd ever been inside a fitness-center in his life. As a result – where Zero's body was that of a budding Apollo, Kaname's was one of Endimion or maybe St. Sebastian – his bone-structure slender, shoulders less broad, and the waistline almost impossibly thin… Such fragile, tortured, ethereal beauty…, who'd think… yes, St. Sebastian…

A slight whimper escaping from the pureblood snapped Touga out of his contemplation, and he hastily checked the water on his wrist… ah, yes, it was cooling off already, the small boiler having extended its limit… Reaching over the boy he turned the water off now, and covered the vampire with a clean towel, letting him gently cool in the still warm vapor filling the bathroom.

_If anyone could hear what you were thinking just now…_

He raked his hand through the mane of his own dark hair, sliding down the bathroom door to sit on the floor beside the vampire.

_Yeah… they would've been mightily surprised… _

That was a period of his life that but a few people knew about. The period he preferred to shut out of his own memory. Yet the period that Cross obviously had heard of since he appointed the hunter as an _ethics_ teacher for the Night Class – of all subjects…

God, what a foolish youth he was back then… shying his responsibilities as a hunter of one of the supreme lines… running off to Europe on a stupid assumption that Japan was the only place where the beasts dwelt… as if one could shut the beasts to just one corner of the world… as if one could shut one's own nature to live as a mere human… to study something as entirely _peaceful_ as philosophy and arts… the awakening was brutal – when he instantly recognized a vampire in the guy _his own girlfriend had left him for…_ stumbling on them in the evening twilight by one of the Amsterdam channels just as the bastard was nuzzling her neck – his fangs extended – looking at the young hunter with this ugly smirk over the shoulder of unsuspecting girl… he shot him on this very spot – without thinking – his aim as usually precise… and fled back to Japan on the first available flight – to be appointed as a teacher to Kiryuu-twins upon his return…

_Damn, stop it, Touga… you haven't thought about that part of your life for years…_

_Because it was a lie… a foolish dream… __you're really not so far removed from Cross, are you? Another idealistic fool. _

He looked at the boy on the floor.

_Yeah, aren't we all?_

On a sudden impulse – just because the boy looked so damn weak still – so fragile… just because his lips were slightly opened under the wet tousled curls – providing an ideal opening… he opened the door a fraction and asked the girl to give him the cup.

_Just a little bit more. Won't hurt me any… and may help him recover__…_

"Sensei," the girl suggested softly, "you can just put your hand to this side of the door, and I'll hold the cup. This way you wouldn't have…"

"Wouldn't have to watch the blood?" He finished when her voice trailed off uncertainly. "Thank you, Sayori-chan, I can manage. The bathroom will chill too quickly if we leave the door open for so long. Just give me the cup. And be prepared to spread the blanket here by the door when I ask".

The logic behind his refusal was sound – even the few moments of opening the door cooled the air inside the bathroom considerably, he just didn't figure it would be so difficult for him to watch his own blood trickle into the cup out of reopened wound without gagging. He closed the eyes, but it only made him _feel_ the warm liquid more – feel its warm disgusting stickiness on his skin… made him remember how only more disgusting and sticky it became when it grew cold…

There was cold sticky blood everywhere in the Kiryuus' house on that morning… and Zero was covered with it… Good thing the boy had crawled almost to the door before loosing consciousness… Good thing his hunter senses told him there was no one alive in the house besides the boy… Because that time he not only threw up, he actually fainted… he actually lost it for almost thirty minutes… and it took an immense power of will to take the bloodied boy into his arms and carry him the mere pair of miles to the nearest village…

_Oh __**shit**__…_

He scrambled hastily over the pureblood's legs and bent over the toilet bowl retching helplessly… Good thing he hadn't eaten for almost two days now too…

Bad thing – as he found out soon enough - was that he had obviously pushed the cup in his scramble – judging by the stain on his jeans and the spreading rosy stain around the cup itself – which had previously been almost full and was now half empty…

Worse still – that the sight made him dizzy again.

_I'm not gonna be able to feed it to him… _

"Sayori-chan", he called, closing his eyes to fight the dizziness, "spread the blanket by the door, and turn away, please".

On the girl's soft knock, indicating that all was ready, he opened the door, gathered the pureblood from the bathroom floor and put him onto the waiting blanket, which – he was glad to feel – was pleasantly warm from being kept by the heater for all this time. Only – as he bent to wrap the sleeping vampire into the blanket completely – the world swirled again, almost making him fall on his knees.

"Yori-chan," he asked, breathing slowly through his nose, and patiently ignoring a worried look on the girl's face. "There is blood in the cup. Can you feed it to him, while I'll take a shower?.. Then I'll get him into the bed, alright?"

"Sensei…"

"Just do it, will you?"

Reluctantly, the girl nodded and went to fetch the cup.

An almost cold shower made him feel fractionally better… or so he thought when he put on the robe (a loan from Cross – too short for him and with a disgusting little kitten on the pocket). But "fractionally" was an operative word there as he discovered after bending to pick the blanket-wrapped Kaname into his arms, and in the end he was glad when a small warm hand pressed into the small of his back, guiding him to the bed gently as he concentrated on carrying the vampire without dropping.

"Let me bandage your wrist," Sayori insisted when he sat on the side of the bed, wearily reclining on the backrest by the sleeping vampire's side.

"There was barely half a cup," he protested weakly, "Take some more for him, before you bandage it".

But the girl shook her head.

"There _was_ half a cup, but there _used to be_ almost a whole again, no? You've already given too much, sensei, you need a good rest and a cup of strong sweet tea now."

She went to the heater to gather a remaining bedcover from there and returned to the bed.

"Put your feet up now, do, or you'll get a cold – sitting here barefoot after a shower. Here," she spread the bedcover over both him and the vampire, still wrapped in his blanket cocoon, "that's better. And now I will go and prepare the tea for you… You see," she continued in an explanation, as she started bandaging his wrist tightly, "my mother is a nurse, and sometimes she would take blood from people, so I know what's to do. In fact," she smiled shyly, "I couldn't cut your wrist, but I think I could have done the bleeding – if you had a syringe…"

The hunter chuckled, his eyelids drooping for sheer exhaustion.

"Bad thing I didn't know that. I think I actually have a syringe in my pack…"

Half-sleepily he watched the girl disappear into the kitchen.

_And if she can make a decent cup of tea she would be just beyond perfection… yes, hot and sweet, something to wash down that taste of bile in my throat…_

But by the time Yori returned with a cup of steaming tea – Yagari was already asleep…


	12. The day of waiting

**AN:**It was supposed to be just a little interlude, you know, but – trust me – if something can grow out of all proportion – it will. So – sorry for those who's waiting for a continuation of the main plot-line – that would follow in the next chapter, while this one is but a wholesale, undiluted AidOri flashback. It's a little tempestuous, but I hope that I haven't wandered too far OOC, and I hope you still like it and review it even if I have.

Many thanks to wonderful YenGirl for beta-ing, I appreciate your help very much!

And – the answers for the reviews to the previous chapter can be found in the forum thread, which could be found on my profile page etc. etc.

And – I still own nothing. What news!

* * *

Sayori stood watching the two sleeping forms for awhile. The teacher didn't seem too comfortable propped as he was – half-sitting, with his head hanging… and he sure needed that tea… and yet – she knew that if she woke him now – he would probably not go back to sleep easily – but rather would find something else to do, something else to fuss about…

She smiled at her choice of words – Yagari would have probably just snorted derisively if told he _was_ fussing… but it was the truth – he _did_… actually she was still reeling a bit at how concerned and tender the older man acted towards Kaname – in a way she would never expected from him… but she guessed now was the time when _everybody_ acted somewhat out of character – which maybe meant only deeper _in character_ – as the emergency brought out the hidden depths in people around her… and she wondered if she herself looked equally changed…

… _because you feel like you are…_

And the memories slid a bit closer to the surface – now that they knew she was free to remember and to think and to muse…

… _no, damn, not…_

Now that the teacher slept the room felt almost as abandoned and empty as when she saw it the first time, and Sayori found it unnerving…

With Yagari-sensei awake – he seemed to fill the tiny cabin so completely – there wasn't a place for her memories in there… with his low commanding voice, with the sheer immediacy of his orders that forced her to concentrate and be there, be right in this moment – even when they both disappeared into the bathroom she sat there listening to the soft sounds from within, ready to come to action, ready to do what he would ask…

…_feeling useful… for once…_

She wandered around the room searching for something else she could do now… anything… picking up the discarded coats and hanging them onto the pegs by the door… looking inside the fridge and cupboards to check the meager supplies she could use to prepare some food for them when they awoke… setting out the kettle and tea to brew some more of it later…

Cleaning the bathroom occupied her for some time – as she sorted through the various items of discarded, partly wet clothing… washing them perfunctorily in only half-warm water… the teacher didn't have any washing powder anyway… so she just worked the things a little with simple soap, paying extra attention to remove the fresh blood stain from the hem of Yagari's jeans, hanging the clothes on any available surface that faced the heater – to dry…

_All of that could take only that much time, you know…_

…and she felt tired too…

And as she sat herself into the recliner and closed her eyes sipping from the cup of by now almost cold tea – the memories came – unbidden – as they threatened since the moment that she had opened that door again…

***

She was sitting like this – quietly – enjoying the sudden warmth within the cabin, but the young vampire kept walking – pacing the room diagonally from end to end – over and over and over again, and it was… distracting… annoying even… to the point she couldn't bear it any more… nervous as she already felt…

"Eeh… Aidou-senpai… can't you sit as well?"

He almost jerked, stopping abruptly, looking at her quizzically as if it was _her_ who was a sudden, almost forgotten annoyance…

"Ah? What?"

…and it made Sayori unaccountably angry… it _hurt_, you know, when people tended to forget about her presence… as it had happened all too many times in the past…

"Can't you _sit_?" She answered, letting her irritation show. "You'll wear the grove into the floor-boards if you continue like this…"

She was instantly ashamed of herself when the vampire looked almost sheepish – in the cute little-boy kind of way – as if he had been completely unaware of his own constant moving right now…

"Uh… sorry…" He shook his head to clear it from whatever thoughts and worries were churning inside. "It is… necessary, I guess… I feel too… sleepy… _Never was good at staying awake during the daytime…_" It was muttered under his breath, clearly not meant for her to hear… but she did, and it filled her with sudden warmth – seeing this slight imperfection to his usually all too perfectly tailored image – the playboy, the brat, the incorrigible prankster – the imperfection that none of his fangirls would be allowed to see.

_Nor these faint dark circles of tiredness below his eyes… I wonder if he sleeps with cucumber slices on - as these silly girls do – the way he never shows as anything as demigod when he struts out __of those gates…_

"Sit," she almost ordered, feeling somewhat superior to him in her fully woken state, "I'll go check if they have some coffee stacked in the kitchen – to help keep you awake…"

Frankly – she never expected him to comply so easily… never even turned to see if he _was_ complying – as she went into the kitchen area…

…and it didn't take all that long to establish that there _was_ no coffee… yet, when she returned to ask if a cup of tea would do instead – he was sitting in almost exactly the spot Yagari occupied now – perked gingerly on the very edge of the bed, head resting against the wall… _dead to the world…_

Just like now – she wandered around the room for a bit – looking for something to do… but naturally there was even less that she could – back then… and then settled half-lying on the same bed – as far as she could from the sleeping vampire but in his direct view when he woke – out of some sentimental notion of him not feeling so bad for falling asleep if he could see her alive and well instantly…

… was it the warmth, or the regular breathing of another person within the room… but somehow – she slipped into a little light nap herself, prompted awake by a distinct awareness of someone watching her intently – and from really close quarters too…

Actually, as she discovered once her eyes were open - Aidou was kneeling right in front of her on the bed, glaring at her in an almost Zero-fashion – the brow under the tousled golden mane creased by a deep frown, lips pursed and sky-blue eyes he kept trained on her face reflecting a mixed emotion that she could only interpret as anger mixed with… whatever.

"Are you stupid, or what?" He blurted immediately when he saw that she was awake, the tone and the non-too-polite wording making her stammer in shock:

"W-w-what?.. W-why?"

"I'm a vampire, remember?" He sounded almost desperate at her lack of understanding. "Weren't you listening to what I told you on our way here? What _possessed_ you to lie to sleep so close to me? Weren't you _afraid_?!"

Ah, so that's what he was speaking about… She guessed she was afraid a little bit – now, with him so towering over her on the bed, obviously angry at her… but previously… she actually felt safer in his proximity – maybe because he had already saved her once, maybe because…

"No, I wasn't…" She answered truthfully. "That vampire you killed down there – he was scary. But I do not fear you, nor others of the Night Class… I guess… Somehow I do not feel you would harm me… you wouldn't, right?" She finished – suddenly not too sure in view of obvious distress so clearly reflected on the young vampire's face.

"Wrong!" He moved so abruptly she hardly noticed the movement itself – just that in barely a second his face came very close, teeth bared so that she could distinctly see the elongated canines, eyes shining bright crimson – all his countenance turning completely into something dark and sinister, even his voice slightly hissing into her ear – devoid of its usual sunny chirpiness. "You _should_ fear us, Sayori-san… us of the Night Class… and moreover – the other vampires, God forbid you ever meet another one…you catch us off-guard, we can suck you dry before we even are aware that it were you…"

If his aim was to scare her – he succeeded. She was scared now. No, she was terrified. Her whole body pressed into the mattress as if trying to distance itself from a looming figure, trying to slide away… only finding his other arm, firm and unyielding behind her back – caging her in. Sayori felt her breath hitching in her throat, preparing to rip through her closed lips in the wail of pure terror…

And then he was gone…

Once again – his movement was too quick for her to notice properly - one moment he was propped right over her and another he was already sitting on the far side of the bed, his shoulders hunched, one hand mercilessly raking the golden locks, the other gripping his own knee tightly, his whole frame slightly rocking with inner tension... Silent…

Sayori too felt shaken beyond the ability to speak… though her conscious mind – now awakened after a moment of total scare - was plying her with a stream of seemingly endless questions: What had just happened? Did he really want to bite her or was he teaching her a lesson now? Was it necessary?

"Yes, it was," the vampire's voice sounded lifeless and bleak… and she realized that she had asked the last question aloud.

He rose then with a sigh and walked to the window, staying there – his back to the room, the finger drawing abstract frost-pictures on the glass absently… and it seemed a whole minute has passed before he continued quietly without turning and looking at her.

"I'm sorry I scared you. I am – _really_. But it is best you remember what you have just witnessed… It's best you stay away from us – altogether… Even though Yuuki-sama is your friend… because vampires are…"

He shook his head exasperated at not finding the right words to explain, but when he turned with a soft chuckle – she saw that something of his bright-and-easygoing self was returning slowly – much to Sayori's relief.

"I'd much rather you don't get yourself hurt, Yori-chan… both Yuuki-sama and Kaname-sama would be wa-a-ay furious if you do".

It seemed such an "Aidou-thing" to say that Sayori found herself smiling – just as he smiled back at her in his usual dazzlingly playboy-ish way… until she noticed that the smile didn't quite reach his eyes… and she was puzzled at the expression that she saw in them… Was he… wistful? Idol-senpai? C'mon, grow up, girl… and yet she felt herself blushing softly under his silent scrutiny… and this unfamiliar feeling made her ask – because she _needed_ to be absolutely sure – even if she could bring herself to look at him as she spoke:

"Eh… Aidou-senpai…" she started timidly. "Just to make sure I did understand correctly… if you _knew_ it was me – would you still want to drink my blood?"

She heard a sharp intake of breath, a muffled "what?!" - but when she looked up it seemed that if the vampire had been shocked by her question – he had already recovered, since he was smiling nonchalantly on her with his usual brattish charm, one of his finely curved brows lifting teasingly, letting her wonder what kind of answer he'd come with... yet when he spoke it was surely not any answer she could've expected:

"Uh… Yori-chan? And would you have mad violent sex with me right now?"

"W-what…" she stammered. "What kind of question is that?"

"And what kind of question was yours?"

That made her pause. Was the blood-drinking as intimate a matter for vampires, perhaps? Did she overstep some borders without knowing that there were any? She felt like she was floundering in completely unchartered waters… Should she maybe just _back out of the whole discussion_? No, it would look silly. So she tried to answer his question as truthfully as she could instead:

"I… I don't think I know you enough to consider this… eh… possibility yet, Aidou-senpai".

She knew she was blushing furiously and still looked stubbornly into his eyes – to be surprised by a serious and almost admiring glow appearing in them as a reward for her candid answer.

"Name is Hanabusa, you know?" He teased softly, coming closer to sit on the recliner that stood across from the bed.

"Hanabusa," she obediently repeated, but it was apparent even to herself that she wasn't comfortable calling him so…

…_even though he calls you by__ given name like it is something natural… and you like it too…_

"About your question…" The vampire began a little uncertainly. "There are two answers – just as for the one that I asked – and you answered only one part of it… but I am not pressing," he added hastily. "And to answer your question in the same way – I do know you _too much_ already. It would be _very impolite_ to drink the blood of someone you know without it being expressly offered… but if you asked me to _promise_ that I would never do it… when a vampire is stressed or starved or injured – the body can just take over… before the mind has a chance to kick in… That's why I had to teach you that lesson, Yori-chan…"

They sat in companionable silence for awhile after this confession – mutual understanding hanging around them as a gentle mist, but she knew him enough already to notice the moment when his thoughts strayed back - to the friends he had left on the main Academy grounds. Was something happening there?

She wondered at her own strange indifference – after all – Yuuki, and Zero, and Chairman Cross, and her class-mates were there as well? Just maybe – in her heart of hearts she still didn't believe that situation could quite suddenly turn so deadly serious… Even with a vampire class there – Cross Academy had always been such a peaceful place…

"It is almost six in the evening…" She told musingly. "Maybe – whatever you were keeping me safe from… has already… finished? Maybe it is alright for us to return?"

The young vampire stood up and went to the window, where the reddish light of early winter sunset sifted into the room through the grated shutters. She wondered if anything but the clearing where the cabin stood could be seen through the grating, but Aidou… no, Hanabusa… had another purpose in mind, which only became apparent to her when he opened one frame and deeply inhaled the crisp and cold air… and she could see his anguish in how his fingers clasped unconsciously on the edge of the sill.

"They are fighting… there is the scent of ash and blood in the air… smells like _tons_ of ashes, and… I _know_ some of this blood…"

It took her a moment to understand the last phrase, and she paled when she did… it was such a vampire way to say it though – that some of his friends and class-mates were injured… she didn't want to think – dead…

_While we were talking so peacefully here…_

She knew he was probably having the same kind of thoughts right now – aching to be with his friends, worried for them as she was worried for Yuuki… angry for the unfairness of being stuck here guarding such a useless person as herself… she was actually prepared for him to complain about it, as he'd done on their way to the hut…

Yet when he turned to her his face – if anything – seemed only set and calm.

"I'm afraid I'm not fit to stay inside with you – after this… these smells – unsettle me… and I do not have any blood tablets here… so… for your own safety… I will guard you from outside…"

There must've been a question written all too clearly on her face, because he paused momentarily on his way to the door and smiled reassuringly:

"Don't worry, Yori-chan, Yuuki-sama is unharmed as of now…"

And it was just that last straw that made her come to a firm decision of her own.

"Aidou-senpai… Hanabusa!.." She ran after him as he stood in the doorframe scanning the clearing. "You can go there, you really can… Nothing will happen to me… I will bolt the door, and if nobody had wandered here in all this time – there is a fair chance nobody will… and if Kaname-senpai is mad with you – you can tell him I had sent you there because I was worried for Yuuki…"

She put her hand on his shoulder urging him forward lightly – to where he longed to be, only to make him spin around, catching her hand – the conflicting loyalties fighting again in the depth of troubled eyes for the decision his consciousness could accept as a right one…

"You will close the door… all the bolts… alright?"

"Yes"

"And do not turn on the light. This place is practically invisible from below there – but the light would be a sure beacon – for who knows what…"

"I know"

"And do not open to anyone… not to anyone… I will come for you myself when everything is really finished"

"Alright"

"Well, then…"

He let go of her hand then and took even a few tentative steps down the path, but turned right back – opening his mouth to talk as if he had just remembered to tell her something… She waited, but he seemed just to stand there looking on her - his face so serious and his eyes unfathomable in the gathering twilight.

"Yori-chan…" he whispered finally. "I want you to promise me something… just on the off-chance… it's not gonna happen… not really… but if neither me, nor anyone of my closest friends comes for you before midday tomorrow… promise me that you _will not_ go to the Academy… if nobody comes for you by noon – just leave the grounds, there is a small gate right behind the cabin… leave the grounds and go directly to town… and stay in some crowded place…"

The implications of what he said were painfully clear… and she felt scared suddenly – both for herself and for him – as the real seriousness of the situation became something palpable in her mind – for the first time in this whole day…

… _because o__ne doesn't say this kind of words as a silly joke… _

She felt so stupid for dismissing it all as almost a game – all this hours…

_So damnably stupid… an ignorant human – that's what he must think about you…_

All she could do now was nod, and be grateful that it seemed to satisfy the vampire boy.

"There is no one around – but I want you to close the door… before I leave…" He raked the hand through his tousled locks in a gesture that was by now all too familiar. "Well… I'll see you around, I guess… Yori-chan…"

The strange lump was stuck somewhere inside her windpipe – making her words nothing but barely audible whisper.

"Take care… Aid… Hanabusa."

And of course she rushed to the window as soon as the door was bolted – but the little clearing and what could be seen of the path were already empty… and she sighed and settled into the recliner to wait for his return…


	13. Inclusion 1

**AN: **Well, this a slightly shorter chapter – mostly because the next part is supposed to be longish, and knowing myself – that means it will be downright LONG. But at least I hope that this chapter will be more to the liking of those who wait for more Kaname and/or Yagari in this fic. And we are really getting to the point where at least something would be explained and – after that – almost to the point where other characters would eventually join in. So – bear with me, please (and review).

The answers to the reviews are next in my list of things to do – so I think you can safely check the forum thread in around half an hour.

And – I'm getting thoroughly tired of putting disclaimer into each and every chapter – so – once and for all: **I do not own VK nor any of its characters nor am I likely to own them in future** – I am just using them for my own and your entertainment gaining nothing but satisfaction in the process.

* * *

Some people had nightmares that actually had plots… or so he heard… A set of frightening scenes would unfold in their sleeping brain repeating some horrible event in their past or fleshing out the fears they held for the future…

It was never so for him…

His worst nightmare was a sensation… a state…

_Immobility_…

…and he wondered if the reason was simply that he had lived for too long and his brain didn't bother to sort through the memories of millennia…

…which was rather beside the point right now… though he wished he had some pictures filling the void in which he hung – unable to move… something… anything… to give him an anchor to hang to… anything but this blinding terror that held him in unrelenting thrall…

_Immobile… trapped… bespelled… bodiless… dead... captured… locked… _

In these dreams he never knew what it was that was holding him – only on some occasions he felt other presences near… hands touching, groping… ropes cutting his flesh… the awful sound of his own body sucking in an alien blood… all those _were_ the echoes of something that had happened to him… but even then – they appeared but for a fleeting second in what felt an eternity of total helplessness and despair… even then – he couldn't be sure they were _a part of this dream_ or if the reasoning part of his mind just supplied them in its endless search for an anchor…

_Immobility… he was fighting for __**any**__ movement… but he was too weak…_

He knew that the reasoning would fail him soon – reducing him to blind and mindless fury beating at the inner walls of his skull – then to equally mindless pleas (_Whom was he pleading to? He was all alone here…_) to be let free, to be released, to please, _please_ be let free…

_Immobility… and every time you were immobile something was stolen of you… something important, something irretrievable, something vital – stolen for good…_

His dignity… His family… His love… His hope… His life… Even his death…

He thrashed wildly…

…_inside his mind, cause he couldn't move and that was the whole point of it –_ _immobility… _

…as he tried to remember whether he still had anything that could be stolen now… but it was no use – he was too far gone into the realm of despair to think clearly… and anyway – he wasn't so foolish – on too many occasions he had already thought that there was nothing else he _could_ possibly loose… and proven wrong… and he feared that if he remembered something he would somehow nudge the fates to take it away as well…

_No no no no please, not again… let me free… please, please… let me free… _

And then – suddenly – he was free! He could move!

And his body moved of its own volition – curling onto the side, his face pressing tightly into the small female hand brushing through his sweat-drenched hair as he breathed out…

"Yuuki! Yuukiyuukiyuukiyuukiyuuki…"

…her name nothing but a pitiful keening sound on his lips…

…as he felt himself failing… falling… finally slipping into a dreamless sleep…

***

For the umpteenth time Touga found himself grateful for the steady and levelheaded girl the fates have chosen to accompany him through this ordeal. And if he could delude himself previously that somehow or other he would've been able to do it all without her help – he knew better now. Give him a gun and set him against a thousand of vampires – he wouldn't be scared as much – but all this "caring" business…

He felt himself shaking in the aftermath of the sheer terror of trying and failing to wake the boy from the nightmare he was gripped by – the pureblood's distress so obvious, his head rolling on the pillow, his eyes half-open and unseeing, rivulets of sweat running down his face to mingle with rivulets of silent tears upon his cheeks… but the most frightening thing in this picture the hunter had woken up to find beside himself was how the vampire's body kept completely immobile throughout all this - taught as a string but unmoving – in fact it seemed that he hadn't moved at all in his sleep, not even disturbing the blanket that the hunter had wrapped him into with his own hands…

_God! A fool!.. But how could I know?.._

More important was though that even then – he didn't guess…

He tried to wake the boy up – speaking with him, touching him lightly at first and then plain shaking him – but it only seemed to increase the vampire's distress… and he was really on his wits end when a calm voice suggested softly from over his shoulder:

"Do you think he might be more at ease outside of this blanket? It just seems so uncomfortable to be wrapped like that…"

And indeed – as he gently freed the pureblood out of the constricting fabric, rolling him to his side in the process so that not to expose his nudity and keep the warmth inside – the boy started gradually to calm down, and the hunter gratefully allowed the girl to sooth him further – petting his hair and speaking to him in her soft melodious voice.

Well, if she knew how to deal with it – so much the better… he had enough – and he needed a smoke _badly..._ Picking a fresh change of clothes out of his pack he stumbled to the bathroom to change, when a single word came as a muffled sob from the vampire's lips: "Yuuki!" and the hunter cursed under his breath – _that girl!_ At times – unreasonable as it seemed – Touga felt like she was singularly responsible for this whole mess… it was unfair, he knew, as well as he knew that Yuuki was – basically – a good and kind person… it just seemed that whatever she touched turned to pure havoc… "Especially," he thought shaking his head ruefully, "the lives of some teenaged boys…"

***

Having changed he came out of the bathroom to find the vampire asleep with his head resting half on the pillow, half on the girl's thigh, her hand still brushing through the black curls in slow soothing motion.

"It is alright, he's sleeping now," she smiled tenderly at the peacefully slumbering pureblood, but when she looked up at Yagari, her gaze reflected concern. "He's feverish, you know? I didn't know that a vampire could catch a cold…"

Ah, how he ached to tell her that "no, they couldn't, not the higher level ones" but he could see the truth of her words by the slightly labored breathing and heightened color of the pureblood. Besides – it all figured… now that the memory he was chasing after for all this time had come unbidden while he was dressing… now that he finally acknowledged the situation that had been staring him in the face from the very beginning if he hadn't hidden from the obvious behind the "need to perform the more immediate tasks first", if he hadn't shut the information that his senses supplied to the farthest corner of his subconscious…

…because he still didn't know what to do with the implications, that's why… and – oh how he wished that Cross was here to deal with them instead of himself… but he couldn't very well leave to fetch him, and he couldn't send the girl alone in the gathering dusk… and he needed that smoke more badly than ever…

…_only you cannot get it yet, because there is still a thing you need to do…_

"I guess all we can do is give him more blood," he said with tired resignation, "I have some human medicine in my pack, but I'm not sure how it would act with a vampire"

…_one more thing that Cross would probably know…_

"You can draw some from me, but I'd appreciate if you used a syringe".

"I can certainly use a syringe," the girl gently transferred Kaname's head to the pillow and stood up. "But I won't be using it on you. Yagari-sensei," she interrupted firmly as he opened his mouth to object, "it's barely three hours since you gave him two full cups of your blood. You may feel refreshed right now after you've slept a little, but it's too large an amount and too little time has passed for it to be restored. You go have your smoke…" she giggled at the surprised expression on his face despite the serious matters they were discussing… "In case you have not noticed, sensei, you've been playing with that pack in your hand since you came out of the bathroom… so, you go have a smoke, and I'll take care of everything myself here… and when you return we are both having some tea and something to eat too."

It felt wrong to allow her to do it… and not even offer his help… _(what help?..)_ but the truth was he felt lightheaded even thinking of sparing some more blood… so he guessed he could allow it – just this once… and, God, did he say he was grateful she was here?.. well, he is saying it right now… and he – he really needed to smoke… and to think…


	14. Inclusion 2

**AN:** Yes, I know, I know, I promised that the next chapter will have the explanation of what had happened to Kaname (as best the characters can perceive it/guess on the reasons of it), but the thing is – the bickering/questioning between Yagari and Aidou (which would be directly followed by the talk with the explanations) got pretty longish, and so will be the explanation talk itself… So – since I, personally, prefer to better get shorter chapters quicker where my favorite stories are concerned – I'm posting this necessary interlude now, and the rest will follow in the next pair of days, OK?

A few more words on the matter of the title for this set of chapters: _**inclusion**_ – of course relates to several characters being included into… (no, it would be too spoilerish)… let's say – into the active plot; but _**inclusion **_also means a tiny bit of foreign matter inside the precious stone (a fly inside an amber piece is an inclusion too), a _**flaw**_actually, but then a stone with a flaw is sometimes considered even more precious – which also relates to the story and the situation, don't you think?

Big thank you to YenGirl for beta-ing this chapter!

**Disclaimer: **Haven't I promised not to write any disclaimers? Well, this is the last one: I do not own Vampire Knight in whatever form, all rights for it belong to the respective right holders. This plot here is but a fan fiction written for no profit, just for fun.

* * *

The first drag made him dizzy again though in a different, not entirely unpleasant way - and it passed quickly anyway as the cold air outside seemed to sweep through his brain, bringing clarity and peace to his thoughts. That – or rather – he decided to let the problems wait for awhile – just for couple of minutes, for a time of one cigarette, for a time till the sun sets completely over the far side of the valley…

He secretly suspected that whoever had built a cabin on this particular spot – long before Cross had ever appropriated the estate for his school – had done so, in part at least, because it was an ideal place to watch the sunset. What an irony then – that there was nobody now on the estate who had the time and inclination to observe it – since for one part of the inhabitants of the school it was time akin to an early dawn – something either easily overslept or passed through in a hurry of activity before the lessons, and for the other – the Day Class – the evening passage of the Moon Dorm students held far more interest over such mundane a subject as a downward journey of the sun.

He wondered where the hunters belonged in this order of things – neither the creatures of the day nor the night they kept whatever hours were best suited for their purpose. More often than not though the nature of their prey made them use these very dawn hours – either evening or morning – for a safer approach towards the beast…

_Ah… but we still are humans… at least the sun doesn't hurt us… nor do we drink blood…_

But he wondered whether random human or random vampire would consider them thus. Too many similarities existed with the other species as well – much alike to vampires the very structure of hunters' organization… hunters' community?.. if he was currently in a mood to set them out as a different race?.. depended a lot on the individual strengths – which in turn were too closely tied to bloodlines – just as vampires they had families with stronger or weaker abilities…

…and just as vampires had less and less purebloods remaining in this world, so among the hunters the three supreme lines that throughout the centuries had brought forth the biggest number of great hunters seemed to dwindle and dilute, and now it looked like two of them would be extinguished with the next generation…

…he couldn't imagine Kaien Cross ever getting over his sorrow for a woman he never could have had in the first place - not to the point that he'd take a wife or a lover… at least not _a female_ lover…

…Zero Kiryuu was obviously a vampire now and his brother Ichiru – weaker in talent but a carrier of the same genes – dead… Naturally there were some aunts and uncles, some distant cousins, but the undiluted, the main line as such, would be finished… And it left him, Touga Yagari, the last of the last…

_Guess I'll have to marry someone… sometime… so that at least the Yagaris weather a little longer…_

And it was an uncomfortable thought – since he never had felt as strong for a woman as he did for his work and his friends… (and the Kiryuu-brothers… but he fought even that for way too long, because a fatherly role was something that freaked him out…) Sometimes he thought that everything would've been seriously easier if he were gay… or bi-sexual as Cross… but the fact was that he was boringly and excruciatingly _straight_. He just never loved a woman strong enough to consider spending more than a passing moment… well, at times a series of passing moments… in her company… but a life?

His thoughts inadvertently turned back to Cross with his hopeless crush, to Zero who couldn't get over the fact that the one person he treasured had turned into a creature he hated in the course of one night, to the tortured sob that Yuuki's name came like from the sleeping pureblood's lips… ah, no wonder that he at times envied and at times pitied those who seemed to know what love was…

It was all of course just aimless philosophizing – just a moment to let his thoughts roam far and wide… but his cigarette had burned to the butt already – and he still had a problem to deal with, a decision to make and some constructive thinking long overdue…

***

If someone asked Hanabusa Aidou to describe his current mood in one word… that is if someone _dared_ venture close enough to him to ask the question and didn't get frozen stiff in the process… Aidou perhaps would have even _volunteered _the answer… well, because he just had one handy – as short and concise as one could only wish – he was _mad_. As in MAD… no, make it M.A.D. for good measure.

He was mad at everyone and at everything, at the universe and the order of things in it… if his logical mind did accept the concept of God – he would've probably be mad at Him as well… but, c'mon, he was _very nearly_ mad at Kaname-sama, and in his world picture this came so close to God that the difference was beyond the point altogether.

He was mad at the stupid fire for erupting just when he was around and everybody else was… well, elsewhere… and he was mad at the stupid day time students for not noticing it smoldering before it was almost too late.

He was mad at his classmates for not removing the above-mentioned day class from the dangerous area faster, and at himself for holding the ice-barrier till the last of them was out of harm's way…

…_outside of himself – obvious!_..

The alternative version of this part – since the whole reasoning for his current _disposition_ seemed to make rounds in his head as he walked the path – quoted him being mad at himself for not holding out for a few moments longer till someone had the mind to fetch Akatsuki, who quickly controlled the raging inferno and eventually put it out altogether… just a little too late for one Hanabusa Aidou… eh… did he mention that he was mad at his cousin for lingering way too long?

And he also was mad at Cain for… well, being mad _at him_… out of worry, granted, but couldn't he see that it was completely _logical_ of him to ask that someone goes and checks on Sayori Wakaba… on Yori-chan… _before_ he is treated, because he _knew_ that after his wounds are taken care of and he gets some blood he'd pass out like a stone? And what if he didn't wake till noon (which he _didn't_ by the way) – and the poor girl ran out to the city, with nobody who'd know where to find her? And what if something happened to her?

Only, yeah, of course… sending Luca was _not_ the brightest idea… actually right now Luca was in a close tie with Cain for who's topping his "being mad at" list… himself following just a trifle behind. For one – all he really asked her to do was "go and check on her" – _not_ "bring her here", _not _"almost kidnap her and carry her bridal style vampire speed without a single explanation"…

…_**and**_ _"stupid twit refuses to be helped until he sees you're alright" is __**no explanation**_,_ you hear me?_

…and _most certainly NOT_ to bring her right into the infirmary…

He shuddered…

…he most certainly _didn't_ want the girl to remember him as he had been then. _Now_ was bad enough – with all this new skin way too rosy and smooth, and whatever Akatsuki said it _did_ show, and if he stayed on blood tablets only it would show _at least_ for another day (and he couldn't drink any more from his cousin, and he _wouldn't_ drink from Luca if she poured it into his mouth – which she won't – because he was so mad at her he would puke). And his hair was a complete mess, and even combed to one side it absolutely didn't cover all the singed ends…

And as if the appearance was not enough the new skin _itched_, which would've been bad if he had a single scar, but considering the amount of new skin that he _had_, it was like his whole _left side_ was itching – and it alone could drive a person mad without him having other viable reasons to be so… Now, where was he?.. oh, right…

Now, someone would think that Cain at least would have _understanding_ _enough_ to stop Yori-chan… no, scratch it, what could she do… to stop _Luca_ from bringing her right to his bed, eh?..

But of course no!.. His stupid cousin just _had_ to continue licking his burns… (oh… uh… _licking his burns!!!!..._ though, if he were completely frank he had to admit that he had been practically going crazy, practically _fainting_ for pain… so he didn't particularly _mind_ Akatsuki tending them at that particular moment)…

But then someone of them – _smartasses_ – just _had to_ bring up the whole notion of "him needing blood", and – _naturally_ – the girl had to offer…

…which was just _so_ not how he had planned it… uh… imagined it… uh… no, _we are not going into this direction altogether…_

…well, anyway, he declined… yes, he _declined_… (He suddenly felt an urge to bang his own head on the nearest tree – viciously)… oh well, he _was_ practically incoherent at that moment… and his mental powers were not on their _very_ best… eh… did he mention he was mad at himself again?.. and at her – just a little?…

And then stupid Cain just went and did _THE STUPIDEST THING EVER…_ that just was making Hanabusa like _UBER-MAD_:

He!  
Told!  
Yori-chan!  
To "go for a walk… or something"!!!

And!…  
She!…  
Went!…

And!…  
Nobody!…  
Stopped her!…

And here he was now – sleepy, exhausted, not nearly recovered enough, looking like shit, itching all over… (Has he listed all of that already? Well, now he has) …pretending to look for stupid… eh… no, of course not stupid… very clever, and capable, and _damn too mysterious_ Kaname-sama…

_eh… do you thi__nk "having his own reasons" might be a better epithet?.._

… and who'd told anything about "pretending"? He was just looking for Kaname-sama _and _Yori-chan… or maybe for Yori-chan _and_ Kaname-sama… who said he couldn't be…

"Stop where you are, vampire!"

Rudely snapped out of his reverie, Aidou stopped at the very edge of the clearing, only now noticing Yagari-sensei, nonchalantly standing with his back to the door of the cabin, squinting at him in the dusk but with a gun aimed steadily right between his startled blue eyes.


	15. Inclusion 3

**AN: **Sorry again – still not the explanation – but we are almost there now, blame Yagari and Aidou who oscillated between their trust and mistrust long enough for an entire chapter. Ah, but they were so adorable to write! :)

In regards of reviews – I've answered (or will answer shortly) the few that I have directly. I will return to the forum though if there is more. And – on unrelated topic – I will create a separate thread to answer the reviews for my one-shot "Picture Perfect" in the forum as well – soon, I promise – just so you know.

Thanks YenGirl for beta-ing this chapter!

For disclaimers see any of the previous chapters – they are still the same.

* * *

For a brief moment Hanabusa contemplated almost eagerly the possibility of matching his vampire skills against Yagari's hunting ones –

…_speak of __a sure way to relieve the stress… _

There were some sobering considerations though…

For one, the arrogantly self-assured sensei wasn't probably named the number one hunter of his generation for nothing, while Aidou himself - even though he was devilishly proficient with ice…

…_if I say so myself…_

was obviously not in the finest of forms, seeing as he had just recovered from fairly extensive injury.

For two – he knew he had no intention of killing the teacher…

…_just freezing his ass would've been nice though… could've even removed that perpetual smirk from his face…_

…especially now when Cain, one of a few people whose opinion could really sway Hanabusa's own beliefs, had developed a sort of grudging respect to Yagari after the battle, where the fire-controlling redhead had at times found himself fighting alongside the master-hunter, and there was no question that it was he who skillfully – if somewhat exasperatedly – insured that the hunters currently on the Academy's grounds stayed well clear of the vampires defending the Sun Dorms both during the battle and after the end of the fight…

That said – no, _he_ had no desire to kill the teacher… he wasn't however sure of the other's intents: standing as he was now, still shrouded by the forest shadows, Hanabusa was pretty certain that Yagari couldn't _see _him clearly, and he didn't know enough about the way hunter senses worked to guess at whether they allowed Yagari to distinguish between the individual auras of vampires – especially at this distance… and while the teacher could've withhold a deadly blow if he knew that it was one of his night time students – faced with sudden attack by a "vampire unknown" he would surely shoot to kill…

…_can't allow myself to get killed by Yagari… that would be just uber-gross… besides – need to find Yori-chan… __**and**__ Kaname-sama… preferably before Luca does…_

Ah, that was truly a sobering thought! He felt the mischievous malice dissipating at once at the thought of his _mission_. Maybe calling out to let the hunter know he was here wouldn't be too dumb an idea?

"Eh… Yagari-sensei… I am Hanabusa Aidou… I'm just searching for someone… Would you mind lowering your gun?"

***

"Hanabusa Aidou…" Yagari drolled lazily, giving himself the time to place the name – aha, smallish fierce blonde… one of Kuran's inner circle… wasn't he the one who had sprung so eagerly to Kaname's defense assuming that the hunter either insulted or threatened the pureblood during his first lesson with the Night Class?..

The teacher knew that some of his peers spoke of Aidou as a veritable boy genius, especially in the field of natural science, but – alas! _he_ wasn't teaching natural science, _and_, after that first encounter, the blonde made a point of skipping as many ethics classes as he could – nor did he make even a perfunctory attempt to conceal his boredom on those few occasions when he attended…

Also, it wasn't hard to deduce from the remarks both Yuuki and Zero (and even Cross – though Chairman's enthusiastic blubbering needed a more skilled deciphering) let slip every now and then – that this particular vampiric teenager was way too full of himself and more often than not – up to some mischievous prank.

_Just let him try one on__ me…_

Tackling the impetuous youngster could surely serve as a distraction from graver thoughts and right now he could use one… granted, the said youngster was a level B, but the comparative strength of his aura made Touga sure that he could still… hmm… apprehend him… without too much injury to either of them…

"Come into the light where I can see you, Aidou-_kun_," he called out, lowering the gun and inconspicuously putting the fingers of his left hand into the sign needed for an immobility spell, as his hunting instincts for a moment blanked all other considerations from his mind… ah, seeing the blonde prankster seething with rage but unable to do anything could certainly lift his spirits…

_Come on, try something…_

But… to the hunter's surprise, the vampire obediently stepped into the clearing, holding his arms to the sides in plain view of the teacher – a clear gesture of peaceful intent.

As he neared, stopping unthreateningly some ten steps from where the hunter was standing, the merciless light of the nearly full moon revealed to Yagari the unusually disheveled and tired appearance of the young noble... The events of the past thirty-something hours rushed back... and Touga felt guilty for the momentary glee he had felt but a second ago at the thought of _hunting_ the brat.

_What do you say… old habits die hard…_

And it certainly took a big step to adjust to new loyalties forged in the yesterday's battle… It could've been easier if it was Cain instead of Aidou that faced him now, or that scarily proficient Seiren-girl who had saved his ass when he had run out of bullets and had to reload…

He had not seen Aidou there, but it was clear the boy had taken his share of beating, the faint rosy patches of newly grown skin ran right from under his hairline, down the left cheek and disappeared under the collar of his coat that looked too big, as if the vampire had to borrow it from someone else in a hurry…

"What brings you here, Aidou-kun?" Touga asked somewhat awkwardly still fighting the guilt over his recent hostility.

***

Hanabusa hesitated… coming here seemed so silly now that he found that the hunter, whose recent presence he had detected on previous visit, had returned to the hut… in fact, he wondered what possessed him to think that Yori-chan would go back to the place where he had left her to hover in fear, the place from whence she was so ruthlessly _abducted_ by that stupid Luca… and Kaname-sama… no, he couldn't pretend now – even before himself – that it was searching for Kaname-sama that made him choose this particular route… and he just didn't know of any other location to start searching for the stubbornly independent girl…

He found himself reluctant to reveal either purpose though, voting for an evasive: "As I said… I was just looking for someone…" that he knew – wouldn't satisfy the teacher even a little.

However, the hunter surprised him by choosing to not probe further into the reasons that brought the vampire so far from the common tracks.

"Did you come from the Day Dormitories?" He asked instead, and when Hanabusa nodded in reply (the new skin stretching uncomfortably with the smallest move and itching anew): "Do you know if Chairman Cross has returned as yet?"

There was some hidden urgency in the question that certainly pricked the noble's impish curiosity… though he thought to himself that the reason for it most likely would turn out something mundane – like Yagari would be simply too eager to relinquish his temporary authority over the bunch of vampire hunters to someone else… wait, wait, it was _not_ as if he _was _anywhere near where the hunters were right now, so it _wasn't_ that – interfered the incurably logical part of his brain…

_Do I smell something fishy there?_

"Not that I've heard," he volunteered, eagerly searching the hunter's face for a change of expression. "And I'd say he would turn up at the dormitories if he returned – to check up on Yuuki and Zero – if not on the Day Class…"

***

Touga smirked – irreverent as it was – the young vampire's estimate of his friend's actions was also dead on spot… but did he _wish_ that Cross was already here!.. God knows, he could do with an advice of someone who would understand the problem as good as he did…

He looked at the Night Class student standing before him… one of Kaname's inner circle… but dare he confide in him?.. one who sprang to Kaname's defense, however misguided that action was… but still _a vampire…_

And even before he looked – he knew that the noble's gaze was firmly latched to his face searching for some lead to the thoughts he was having…

_Dare I trust him?_

***

_Dare I trust him?_

Hanabusa was all too sure that the hunter would interpret it wrongly if he asked about the whereabouts of human girl, but if she wasn't here…

…_and the chances for that are definitely growing thin…_

…then he didn't have much time to spend in idle talking. His blood curled as his overactive imagination pictured her falling prey to some level E that miraculously evaded the notice of both vampires and hunters, or freezing to death now that after sunset the air was starting to bite even on his frost-accustomed skin…

"…searching for whom?" He realized that somehow he got distracted to the point of nearly missing the question, and it was pure luck that the last few words that _did_ register were enough of an opening to answer with a question of his own.

"Sayori Wakaba, Yuuki-chan's friend from the Day Class… you teach them as well, don't you? Or is your _ethical brilliance_ reserved for us alone?"

_Great… Great, Hanabusa!.. It will just soooo help if you alienate him just as you are really in need of his truthful answer!.. _

_Hmm… it sounded frighteningly like Akatsuki has just spoken inside my head!_

Anyway – the damage was done as he saw the hunter tense, his single eye boring into him with obvious suspicion.

"Indeed I teach them…" Drolled Yagari again with that deceptive laziness which Hanabusa's sensitive ears translated as full of hidden menace. "And what the likes of you would want with Wakaba-san?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing…" (_Nah, come on, that's lame, it was you who brought her name up after all_…) "Just… maybe you have seen her somewhere today?.. like, when you walked here?"

He knew he was mumbling, but, hell, he could not fully explain his obsession with finding the girl _to himself_… he hadn't even told _Cain_ that he was going to search for her… what freaking right did this _hunter _have to question his reasons?

"I'm waiting… _Aidou-kun_…"

There was no mistaking that what the hunter really wanted to say was "I'm waiting, _vampire_" and the fingers of Hanabusa's hand prickled with the ice that asked to be unleashed…

…and then all the thoughts abandoned him as the shoulder of the teacher rubbed across the door, creaking it just a tiny bit open, just enough that a whiff of fresh and limey scent that was so unmistakably Yori-chan reached the vampire's flaring nostrils… mixed with the smell that could only be…

…_her blood!_

He moved without thinking, launching for the door with full vampire speed… only to find himself caught by a spell that sucked half the air out of his lungs, freezing him in an uncomfortable and badly balanced position barely a step away from the master-hunter, who closed the door firmly and turned to glare at the captured vampire out of his single unfathomable eye…

"Well, well… what's the sudden rush, Aidou-kun?"

"Sa…yori-chan…" Wheezed the vampire breathlessly as even his vocal cords seemed numbed and sluggish to respond. "She's inside there… and bleeding…"

"And you want me to believe that you are anxious for her well-being? Or is it her _blood_ you were anxious for?"

The hunter's words fairly dripped with sarcasm, and while one part of Hanabusa's brain made silent promises of freezing the teacher's butt _solid_ the very moment he could break the spell, the other clung stubbornly to the only thing that was important now.

***

"Is she… is she alright?"

Yagari leaned on the door-frame hiding the sudden exhaustion.

_That's why we do not use the spells directly, even those of us who are capable of the technique… They certainly take their toll__…_

That said – the spell-casting ability was rare enough among the hunters that those who possessed it didn't usually join the actual hunt, spending their days in forging the weapons for their "otherwise talented" comrades to wield… This fate could've been his if he had chosen so, but for the bitter youth he had been at that decision-making time - the "peaceful" occupation seemed but a mockery of the peace his soul really craved… to stay home and let your weapons hunt for you… no!.. If he absolutely _needed_ to kill vampires – he would do so with his own hands and at his own risk…

_Another bit of foolish idealism…_

"T-tell me… is she _alright_?!."

His eyes returned to the wide blue eyes of immobilized vampire searching for something that would belie the sincerity of what seemed to be his single-minded concern.

"What if I said she was?"

He knew he was being uncharacteristically cruel towards the captured blonde – the unchanged color of those eyes was proof enough that bloodlust was _not_ the reason for his rather sudden dash for the house…

It was the suddenness of the vampire's movement that made the hunter activate his spell in the first place… That, and the fact that he could never guess that Sayori-chan could be so important for the young noble that he would smell _her_ first, and not the… the hunter's other charge…

_Must be the blood-letting that __distracted him… and then I further "distracted" him with my spell…_

But still it was a close call… if not for the spell – and him hastily closing the damaged door - he knew it would've been only moments before the vampiric senses would discern that there was another smell mixing up with Sayori's… and Touga has not as yet decided whether he dared trust the noble or not.

"So, what if I said she was alright?" He repeated gazing at his captive intently as he partially released the spell, granting the vampire some use of his muscles though still holding him stuck in one spot. The blonde changed his pose, gratefully putting both his feet to the ground fully and stretching his back.

"Ouch, that's better…" The look in his eyes though remained urgently serious and resigned. "Let me see her… I _need_ to see with my own eyes that she isn't… _hurt badly_… and then I will leave. You can protect her… ouch… rather obviously, and I have another task to accomplish tonight… I have strayed from it long enough already…"

"Well…" The hunter felt very tired of handling all this responsibility and decision making single-handedly. "Get inside and see for yourself then… But know I will be watching you the entire time."

***

Sayori just entered the living room from the kitchen where she washed the cup and put the glass syringe and the needle into the pot of boiling water to disinfect it for further use, when she saw the door open and smiled inwardly on sensei's timing.

_Bet he has lingered there to let me finish my task__…_

…and then her eyes widened when she saw another person enter the room instead… or - as she noticed in another moment – directly before the teacher.

She looked aside, not wanting to meet the eyes of the blonde vampire whose glance seemed to roam all along her body concernedly, as if he doubted he'd find her in one piece.

_Like it is I who needs to be worried about…_

She felt the color rise high on her cheeks under his silent scrutiny as she stole a sideways glance of her own, and her heart made a painful leap at his tired and all too non-immaculate look… At least he looked considerably better than when she saw him last time… she was sure that _that_ vision would haunt her in future nightmares… the horrid stench of the burnt flesh, the rasping sobs he tried to muffle for her sake… God, she felt so glad he was alright now, she would surely cry in relief… and nevertheless - it stung - that in the state he was then – he still refused the blood she had freely offered – anxious to do anything… _anything_… to help…

He must've made a few steps towards her, because when she looked up sharply at his loud gasp, she found him standing in the middle of the room, staring towards the bed at its far end – the angry splotches of newly grown skin standing out on his white from shock face.

"Aidou-senpai?.. Hanabusa?.." She started moving towards him afraid that he wasn't as well as she thought initially, but was stopped in her tracks by the cautionary "humph" and a stern look from Yagari-sensei.

So she just stood and watched – reassured but not a little puzzled – as Hanabusa approached the bed – as slowly and cautiously as if he was _afraid_ to find out who its single occupant was. At least his back was tense to the point that it seemed to quiver ever so slightly, and there was no mistaking that his hand _shook_, when it stretched hesitantly – as if of its own volition – to touch the flushed cheek.

He never made the contact though… instead he turned abruptly with another little gasp, little intake of air – stumbling unseeingly towards the window that instantly frosted as soon as his hand as much as touched on its frame…

"How?.." He whispered loudly – his gaze switching from Yagari-sensei to Yori and back to the teacher. "Uh… why?.. What _happened_ to him?"

"I do not know…" Yagari answered with painful honesty. "I… or rather Sayori-chan here… found him on the lake-shore – already like this. I have a theory… but… I couldn't quite believe what my senses were telling me… Yours are supposed to be more acute anyway…"

"Yes… they are…"

The two blue gazes remained locked as if silently confirming something to one another, and Sayori couldn't stand the sense of gathering dread. What was that wrong with Kuran-senpai to make those two so somber all of a sudden? He seemed to be recovering nicely – as far as she could tell – feverish still, but even fever had somewhat abated when she fed him her blood… His heartbeat was steady and his breathing had grown less labored… and here those two were talking as if he was dying – and that - _at the very least…_

"Would you mind explaining to _me_ what you're talking about?"

The two men's heads snapped towards her direction as if they had temporarily forgotten that she was there, and it was Yagari-sensei who suggested:

"Let's go to the kitchen and let him rest peacefully. If my theory is right – then it is something that he needs the most".


	16. Inclusion 4

**AN: **OK, the explanation finally, or at least _a theory_ according to Yagari. My apologies to those who studied medicine – I've bent some real symptoms to fit the plot.

Thanks to YenGirl for beta-ing this chapter!

Disclaimers are still the same.

* * *

As the men sat themselves around the small hexagonal table by the wall, Sayori walked to the stove, removing the pot with the syringe and putting back the kettle for tea.

"You talk, and I'll prepare something to eat."

She wasn't at all surprised when they answered almost in chorus that they weren't hungry. Guys were so ridiculously predictable at times… and so stupidly stubborn… couldn't they hear that it was _not_ a question?

But here in the familiar realm of the kitchen she felt more confident, so she chose not to rub their noses in the fact that whatever they said – it was pretty apparent that neither had eaten any time recently, and just busied herself with food, letting the silence linger until the guys were ready to talk.

It was the teacher who cleared his throat first:

"You should have felt his aura from out at the end of the clearing… at least…"

"Probably twice as far," corrected the noble as a matter of fact, "though further away I wouldn't be able to estimate the distance, just the general direction to where he was."

"When I saw him by the lake… and my hunter senses gave no reading… for a moment… I thought he was dead…"

Yori dropped the spoon she was measuring the flour with, barely catching it before it clattered over the table-top noisily… So that was what made Yagari rush towards Kaname-senpai at such a run… wait… "hunter senses"? Was Yagari-sensei a vampire hunter then? She remembered the rifle slung over his shoulder so casually as he climbed the path… It was pretty obvious really, wasn't it? And it made such infinite sense – if vampires and humans lived virtually under the same roof in the Academy – there were bound to be a pair of vampire hunters around – just in case… She wondered briefly which of the other Academy staff could be one…

…_don't tell me it's Chairman Cross… it would be just too darn ridiculous… Zero though… Zero certainly looked the part… but wait… Zero was a vampire too… Could a vampire be vampire hunter as well?_

She felt she was quickly becoming way too confused and turned her attention back to the conversation the men were having.

"So… you said you had a theory about what caused it… if we have proved it wasn't a hunter weapon or a spell – then what it was?"

***

"That _could've_ been… either… that contributed to it…" Yagari sighed heavily. "But then the effects should have worn out by now… or be… lessening… unless…" He hesitated for a moment. The memory – when it came – made such a perfect sense to him, the only plausible explanation he could imagine, but he really knew too little of Kuran's life or his activities both before or throughout the battle to know if it fit… just a few things that Cross had implied before, just a few much too obvious facts… and he, himself, was too caught up in his worries about Zero to pay a lot of attention… Now he wondered if the young vampire across the table, who was bound to know his leader better, could fill in the gaps. "Let me just tell you a… story…"

He sighed again, remembering, his thoughts returning to that time – some ten years ago, when his life seemed so much simpler than it was right now… teaching the Kiryuu-twins…

…_Zero always the more attentive, the more rewarding… Ichiru always a little withholding, not concentrating enough to put even what little hunting abilities he had to their proper use…_

…then being called to another mission… yeah…

"It was considered a difficult assignment, so the Association authorities made sure to gather a kind of super-team, bringing in the best of the best," he started tentatively, remembering just the moment when they gathered in the head-quarters to receive their orders – all bristling with egos, all being accustomed by now to leading their own teams and quite a few of them called back from previous missions without a break or even completing them properly… enough to let the whole room of them stew as a boiling broth…

"Apparently, a large 'infestation'… which is an official way of putting it," he explained somewhat guiltily – it sure felt strange to describe the events of hunting expedition to a _vampire_… "had been discovered on the outskirts of a small town to the north-west of Nagoya, in the area that had never had any incidents for as long as anyone could remember…"

The hunter paused, unsure if the hints he had given would prove enough for the young noble to make the connection.

Aidou seemed thoughtful. "North-west of Nagoya…" He repeated musingly. "Those would be… the Kuran-grounds!.. And ten years ago…" He looked at Yagari, sharp interest very clearly reflected in his surprised eyes.

"Yes indeed," Touga nodded somberly. "It was not long after the word of supposed suicide of the pureblood couple had reached the Association, and I wouldn't be surprised if the hunters who first discovered the 'infestation' had been sent there to… investigate the circumstances… But it is not why I'm telling the story… just… thought to mention it because it sorts of ties with what we had here yesterday… No level D or E with the last remnants of sanity would have _dared_ to voluntarily enter a pureblood's territory… unless it was created by said pureblood… and even the most die-hard hunters knew Haruka and Juuri Kurans had probably never made an ex-human in their entire lives… Which is why it came as such a surprise when a large group of mixed Es and rogue Ds was spotted roaming there… leaving whole villages slaughtered where they passed...

"But, as I said, it is beyond the real point of this story…" He rubbed his eyes tiredly, the memories of those bleak days flooding his memory… It was winter too… though the weather was milder, alternating between the heavy snowfalls and meltdowns accompanied with as heavy rains… like the weather too was all set on making the hunt as difficult as it possibly could be…

"There is really nothing worse to fight than such big mixed groups…" He continued slowly. "Because the Ds are sane and cunning and if there is enough of them they can control the Es - to an extent, so it's a battle of wits and skills with them and yet you should constantly have all senses tuned up for the sheer unpredictability of the Es… and it's like trying to function in two modes simultaneously – which means you do not quite succeed in either…"

Touga sighed… The preamble was turning out longer than he wanted, but he saw no other way to explain just how exhausted they felt by the time of the final fight. Well, at least, he seemed to hold his audience captive – Sayori-chan listened transfixed, the spoon hovering – forgotten - over the bowl where she had been stirring something, and Aidou nodded in agreement as if he understood precisely the implications of what the teacher told… Unsurprising really, they just spent a day full fighting a similar horde…

"They led us on a long wild goose chase, getting ever deeper into the country, setting ambushes on the way… and though we killed quite a few, we too had some people injured and sent back to town… By the time we managed to press them to an unfrozen river we all were at the last of our strength… especially those who had be called directly from their previous jobs…" Ah, he was nearing to the important part at last…

"There was this hunter, Akio Hiroshi, we worried most about… His fiancée had been killed by a level E a year before and since then he seemed to be on a personal crusade – taking up a new assignment just as he finished one, _begging _for them… and as he was just too good a hunter to waste – the Association obliged…

"Now, in a hunt like this… well, in any hunt, come to that… you have to be absolutely sure of the person who's guarding your back… it's enough for your attention to waver _once_ for either you or your comrades to suffer bitterly… and if we were falling over with exhaustion ourselves, what to say about him, who had hardly taken a breather throughout a year?.. Yet he held steadfastly through every fight, including the final… and that one was a sure bitch…" He caught himself, looking worriedly at the girl (nice teacher he was – cussing here…) but she didn't seem to so much as bat an eyelid, and he continued.

"There wasn't a single one of us left completely unscathed… but Hiroshi was one of the lighter wounded… in fact, the only wound he sustained was a shallow rip on his forearm… little more than a scratch… There were others though who didn't fare as well and needed the rest badly, and on returning to the last village we'd passed we decided to stop there for a night before we set for the city…"

He could see it now – the badly lit hall of the inn, and the five of them – slightly drunk on sake and the simple joy of staying alive, and having the first hot shower in a week, and a prospect of sleeping in a bed… and with some pretty country girls if they were lucky (and not too inebriated to function properly - by that time…)

"We were… celebrating a little… in the hall… and… nobody really expected Hiroshi to participate as jovially… so we sort of accepted that he was sitting alone, completely withdrawn from… festivities… and it took time for us to notice that something was wrong… he seemed to be shivering, hugging himself tightly as if he was cold, though the room was almost hot to the point of it being stifling… but we didn't think much of it at first – just advised him to get to bed, assuming that he was coming down with fever – either from cold or from some infection getting into his wound… no big deal, considering that we have already spoken with the inn-keeper about renting his car, so we could all be safely in town by midday, our first stop, understandably, the local hunter hospital…

"Some fifteen minutes later someone noticed that he had not left for his room yet, still sitting slumped into the corner limply… and since he didn't answer when we called out his name, we decided that he fell asleep, and one of us rose to wake him up, joking that it was time the exhaustion caught with "The Iron Akio"… but he called us frantically instead and we all gathered around and saw that Hiroshi was very nearly unconscious, his pupils dilated, his skin clammy and pale and covered in cold sweat…

"He seemed lucid at first, to the extent of telling "feel so cold…" and "what's wrong with me", but then his eyes rolled up and he lost consciousness altogether… that sobered us instantly, believe me, - barely half an hour ago he had been fit as a fiddle and here he looked like he could die on us any moment… so we wrapped him up in a pair of blankets, and put the hot water bottles to keep him warm - we didn't know what else to do... and when we reached the hospital in under three hours, nearly killing the inn-keeper's car and ourselves in the process... they said we were barely in time…"

He sighed… now, this part was done, but the part that followed was equally difficult – if for another reason altogether: he was no doctor and the best he could explain it - was the way it had been explained _to him_ by the kindly old doctor who didn't mind talking "medicine for the dummies".

"There is some fancy Latin name for it, I'm sure… but it's called a "delayed reaction" or a "delayed shock" more commonly… because, well, it is similar to the shock, and because it is, well, _delayed_… It is like… when a person is injured seriously under some… uh… stressful conditions, and sometimes the mind sort of locks the pain temporarily and the person can pretty much _ignore_ the injury, until the stress is relieved and then it… catches back with a vengeance…"

He looked at his audience and both the girl and the boy nodded in understanding, urging him to continue…

_Oh, yeah… her mother is a nurse… and he's just a freaking genius… just imagine how lame your explanation must sound to them?_

He continued nevertheless, there didn't seem to be any point in stopping now after he had talked for so long.

"Or, as in Hiroshi's case, there could be no _one _injury and no _one _stress, but rather the organism is forced to struggle under continuous strain - physical and psychological, or a succession of straining and stressful situations occurs that gradually diminishes the restorative powers – until suddenly, at the smallest provocation, or even seemingly without one – the body just decides to shut down… it happens to humans too, though quite rarely… and it is only considered life-threatening at the moment of actual shock… since, you see, if the person is brought out of it safely… it just needs some basic _support_ – proper nutrition, some vitamins, lots of rest – for him to recover. In this case – Hiroshi was out of bed on the third day… though, of course, it took him a month to get back to his full strength… physically…

Now, he thought, now was the moment that he dreaded – _if_ the two of them do not just laugh his theory off completely that is.

"There is an aspect of a "delayed reaction" though that the humans know nothing about – since they have no equivalent for it… but when the body shuts down – _everything_ shuts down, and some things do not restore as easily as the others…"

He saw the apprehension growing in the eyes of the vampire, while Yori just listened intently… yeah, right, she didn't know what both Aidou and he knew…

"When Hiroshi awoke on the very next day…" He said simply. "…his hunter senses were dead. He couldn't use them, and – when he had enough of physical stamina to try – he couldn't work the easiest spell…"

***

Sayori stared at Hanabusa's horrified face and her heart ached with the desire to go and comfort him immediately – he looked so distraught… but she knew she wouldn't be able to find the right words - because she _still_ couldn't figure something that obviously both the vampire and the hunter were deeply aware of.

She listened attentively to everything Yagari-sensei related – to the point where she forgot her own decision to busy herself with food all through their talk, and the kettle had been whistling shrilly to be turned off – and she only just noticed it now... She had no difficulty noting the symptoms that could indeed be similar to Kuran-senpai's (though the overexposure to the winter cold made the picture less clear), nor following the medical explanation… But the implications escaped her somehow… Kaname was a vampire, not a hunter… and try as she might she just couldn't understand…

She coughed softly, trying to draw some attention, and this time it was Hanabusa who snapped somewhat out of his horrified stupor to explain.

"Not me, nor Yagari-sensei can feel Kaname-sama's aura, Yori-chan… and if there is no aura, there are no _powers_… And right now Yagari-sensei implied that it could be permanent…"

***

"Not _permanent_…" The hunter shook his head vigorously. "Just that they may take longer in recovering than his physical health does."

He saw a relief flood over the young noble's features, yet he knew it would be unfair to let his hopes grow too much.

"I'll be completely honest, Aidou-kun. I saw another person who suffered a case of delayed shock, an old librarian at the Association Headquarters now, and he had _never_ recovered… But he was old and pretty weak in his hunting abilities to begin with… Hiroshi, though, who was both young _and _strong – recovered fully… with time..."

"How much time?"

"How would I know?" Touga asked back, with more than a hint of exasperation showing in his voice. "I never witnessed it happen with purebloods… with vampires in general… only with hunters… Hiroshi started feeling _something_ about two month after the incident, and it took him over a year to get back to his former level. But the hunters have only a smattering of powers compared to purebloods, and I suppose… well, I _hope_ that once his powers started to restore, his real healing abilities will also kick in and speedup the process exponentially. As to when they will start… Two weeks?.. Or a week?.. Or a month?.. How can I tell?"

He stood up and went to the counter, where Yori was measuring tea-leaves into the pot to brew some tea.

***

"Excuse me," Sayori asked quietly, unwilling to further bother Hanabusa, who was still sitting at the table and obviously brooding over the information disclosed. She felt silly for asking, but that was the question that came to her mind instantly when the whole 'vampiric powers' thing was first mentioned. "Does it mean that right now Kaname-senpai is a... mere human, the way that Yuuki was before?"

"Of course not!" Both men exclaimed simultaneously with so much indignation that it would've been almost laughable if it didn't feel like she was revealing herself as an absolute idiot.

"Sayori-chan," the hunter patiently explained. "A powerful spell was used to make Yuuki human and conceal her vampiric nature completely. Kaname-kun, on the other hand, is still very much a vampire – he has fangs, he needs blood, he heals even now at a somewhat quicker rate than a human would, and we do not know as yet to what extent are his other senses affected... though of course the _powers_ enhance them tenfold".

"Not only a vampire," Hanabusa corrected, the hidden urgency giving his voice an unusually hushed tone, "A pureblood!.. His blood smells the same…" He paused and gulped painfully, and she saw a hint of blush rising up his cheeks as if he felt uncomfortable discussing the matter. "When Yuuki-sama was… eh… concealed… her blood smelled human, even if sweeter than it normally should… but Kaname-sama smells… damn near irresistible…" He finished with tortured candor. "I always thought that the nature gave the purebloods all this awesome powers just so that nobody dares approach them… because without them – he is like... the ultimate prey for any vampire in the vicinity…"

He stood up abruptly, a new resolution shining out of his big blue eyes.

"We have to protect him... I'll go and bring the others… we'll set up the watch..."

"Great," Yagari-sensei replied sarcastically. "And who will then protect him _from you?_"


	17. The day of recollections

**AN: **First of all – for those who rather wanted me continuing with my "From This Day Forward" fic – blame my fickle muse. The fact was that I was so very inspired by the mature image of Kain in the last manga chapter, and by extreme (if sadly separate) hotness of both Yagari and Cross in it – I was sort of oscillating between the next chapter for FTDF or the Kain-centered chapter for "Solitaire" (which will be the next one now), and my muse just used this moment of indecision to make me write Zero instead. But the good news is that I have a short vacation right now – so – hopefully you wouldn't need wait for long before I update.

That said – there is a **non-canon moment** in this chapter that was already mentioned before, but so that you do not forget: in my version of the events Rido did claim Kaname's body through the blood he had given him during the "awakening", and it was Zero – with the help of the Bloody Rose and its anti-vampire vines that had vanquished him finally. So – here we have Zero's POV on the same event.

Also (it is rather a long author's note this time) many thanks for everyone who reviewed "From This Day Forward" and "Picture Perfect" in these last extremely busy days before my vacations. I will update the "review answers" thread for PP and organize a new one for FTDF today or latest tomorrow – so please, **check my profile to find the answers for your wonderful reviews**. The same goes for everyone whose stories I've promised to review (all too many times already) - in the next two days - _I swear_!!!

And - thanks again to YenGirl! What would I've done without you dear?... And – **the disclaimers still stand**… And here we go finally…

* * *

Zero awoke feeling like bloody shit... Come to that – the "shit" part of it wasn't exactly surprising. The remembered pain of his body being virtually torn apart by a ruthless force didn't bode for an awakening full of the sense of well-being... Actually – at that moment he hadn't thought he would come to at all... He had thought he would just – die...

_...and the fact that I haven't leads directly to "bloody" part..._

He could feel a tingling sensation of powerful blood coursing through his veins, mending the many places in which he still hurt so badly, soothing and invigorating at once, and as one part of him gratefully accepted the lessening of the pain – the other cringed in angry disgust at the fact that once again the decision of living or dying was willfully stolen from him by the arrogant purebloods.

_Who was it now?.. Yuuki?.. or Kuran?.. or did they take turns?.._

Couldn't they at least let him die _peacefully_? Didn't they know it would have made everything so very much easier – _for themselves_? Didn't they know that he would still hate them... still hunt them... till there is no breath in his body?

And he fully intended to do it too... or at least _a part of him_ did...

When he jumped to that roof, led unerringly by the only smell that mattered to him in the world – he fully intended to kill her... to kill Yuuki... no, to kill that monster that had devoured _his_ Yuuki – in her own words... only that could possibly quench the pain that engulfed him whole – the bitter betrayal – not by Yuuki as such, but by the world in general – bent on ripping every reason for living, every single thing he held dear, leaving him to suffer naked and writhing – a fitting fate for the monster he was... To kill her... and then to kill Kuran... and then live just long enough to kill every pureblood that tainted this world... and then at last he would be able to rest... would be able to die...

His resolution burned bright in his mind now – as did the pain of his last, supposedly dying moments, but the events in between blurred in the undecipherable tumult of motion and sound refusing to come into focus... something deterred him... there was someone else on that roof...

_Yes… Rido…_

…that other pureblood… no, that other hated _Kuran_ that Kaname had cautioned him about… that Kaname had asked him to protect Yuuki from… but protection was far from his mind then – instead he was filled with cold seething rage of a hunter…

…_or was it a beast in him?…_

…that was being robbed of his prey?.. Yuuki was _his_!.. Even if all he meant was to kill her… _She was his!_.. And if the damned pureblood dared to come near her – so much bad luck!.. And the crumbling walls of the Moon Dorm shook and fell at the strength of his and the Bloody Rose's anger unleashed…

And then – as Rido was no more… (or so he thought at the moment…) and there was no one between Yuuki and him…

…he couldn't do it… it could be but a minute-long weakness… but he _couldn't do it_!.. not when she stood so quietly and openly before him… making no move to protect herself… his mind clinging to the memories of the times she was kind to him, clinging to similarities to the Yuuki that he remembered…

…_the understanding in her eyes was my_ _undoing…_

…where he should have clung to the differences… and the Bloody Rose writhed with frustration, its wines curling viciously around his arm…

…and then Kuran was there… _Kaname_… (he hated that necessity to resort to first names – if only to distinguish him from Rido before) stepping out of nowhere right into his shooting line… shielding Yuuki with his own body… so taut with anger now… so very much not the cool and manipulating bastard that Zero had known him for…

"How dare you aim this gun at her?!!"

…yet there was an infinite sadness in the soft brown eyes - mixed with anger… as if the prospect of killing Zero was not a thing that he relished… just a thing that was necessary at the moment, whether he liked it or not… it was so strange to witness Kuran fighting an inner battle over such an insignificant thing as an ex-human's life… Zero would've never…

…but even as Zero adjusted his aim for a closer range and a different height of his target… there was this odd sense of closeness… of deja-vu that he felt… as if their roles were reversible in this moment… he could understand this urge to shield Yuuki… ah! all too good… he could understand this urge to tear apart whatever or whoever threatened her… It was… _ridiculous_!.. this sense of being _one_ with Kuran…

…_two monsters fighting over a girl that was a monster herself…_

…and once again it took but a moment's hesitation, a moment's delay – on both their parts – for another unwelcome arrival – as he saw a slow change, almost a torturous ripple run up Kuran's… _Kaname's…_ body – from toes to head, his right eye flickering between brown and blue and brown again, the words hissing between the tightly pressed teeth…

"It's as I… feared… he's claiming… my body now… Ze…ro… you've promised…"

… and then the eye was blue and he saw that by now familiar smirk curl Kaname's lips, that familiar snide tone permeating the very next words that the same lips uttered…

"Did you think I kill so easily, hunter? Now, let's check what that nephew of mine has in store? Ah, the novelty of experience! I'm thrilled! And you?"

His arm started to lift, and the crimson light of the power lit up the eyes – making Zero tense before the blow, his own finger curling around the trigger and the Bloody Rose's vines flaring around the muzzle as a nest-full of snakes…

…and yet there came a flicker of tortured brown behind the blue and the crimson, and a strangled whisper of "Do… it!.." that Zero knew was not Rido, but someone else – fighting a losing battle for the moment of control long enough to say but two words… and he could understand it too – this urge to _die_ if it was the only way to ensure the safety of the person you care for…

He didn't know whether the shot was instinctive or whether Kuran had managed to give him a mental push just before he was wholly smothered by Rido's presence, but even as Zero's finger squeezed and the vines flew forward with murderous speed – it was he, Zero, who cried out "No" and willed them back… willed them back with everything good that was left in the monster he felt he was turning into… because there was Kaname somewhere there inside… and he couldn't kill Kaname… he _didn't want_ to kill Kaname now…

…_damned pureblood…_

…not at the moment when he understood him so good…

…and then the earth erupted under his feet, terrible force reaping through him, throwing him as a part of debris, bleeding and torn, his consciousness abandoning him too quickly – before he knew whether the vines had retracted in time…

***

The recollections when they unfolded in full left him shaken and sad… Even if he wanted to – he hadn't the strength to feel the rage any more… besides… he and his _plans_… an epic failure as usual… He couldn't kill Yuuki, and now it seemed he couldn't kill Kuran… _Kaname_… either… (Unless he already _killed_ Kuran – and he didn't like the way his chest compressed with painful sorrow at this thought)… He could of course kill himself and end this worthless existence that seemed nothing but bothersome for himself and plain dangerous for the others… In fact – he would have preferred if he had died – back in the rubble of the Moon Dorm…

…Only he was alive, and the fact was becoming painfully obvious by the moment, as his body awakened to every little (and some pretty serious) discomfort that his current state entailed. His eyes opened, but with his vision still partially hazed from the concussion he couldn't make out the outlines of a small darkened room clear enough to get his bearings, and the fact that he was flat on his back (and something advised him to not try and change this position immediately) gave him a limited view of the ceiling and upper part of the walls at best that wasn't overly helpful either.

"Where… am I?" He asked - partly hoping, partly fearful that someone was in this room besides himself – instantly aware of how parched his mouth felt, thirsty (not for blood – the coppery aftertaste of that was strong on his dry palate - but for simple water), he was so thirsty…

"The infirmary," someone said in an unfamiliar voice, and by craning his neck despite the pain he could just distinguish a long-limbed figure sitting relaxed in the farthermost corner by the door, "this little chamber off it they reserved for those, whose disease is suspected to be infectious."

"Ah… the quarantine…" He really wanted to ask whoever it was for water but the unfamiliarity of the voice unfazed him… he rather thought that it would be… who? Yuuki?.. well, at least someone whom he would know… "Have I been… unconscious… for long?" He asked instead, understanding suddenly that he had absolutely no idea of what had happened in the Academy in general – he could sense a lot of unknown vampires converging into the premises before – but had been too preoccupied with his plans and then the battle to really care.

"Around twenty-two hours."

The vampiress (as was pretty obvious by her somewhat bedraggled but still mostly white uniform) moved closer to the bed, and his initial shock from learning that he was actually out of it for almost a _whole day_, gave way to the newer shock – at the realization that he really knew this person – he just never in all these years had heard her _talk._

"Sei…ren…" he whispered, his dry tongue catching on the consonants of her name, the sheer disbelief all too obvious and mixed with suspicion. Seiren? Holding a bed-side watch over him? Not on his life! Unless… "Was it Kuran who told you to guard me?"

An angry snort showed just what the vampiress thought about such a perspective, as she unceremoniously lifted his head with one hand and almost pushed a cup with water into his lips with another.

"Don't overextend your hopes, Kiryuu… But," she felt compelled to explain her reasons for being here after all, "the last orders that Kaname-sama gave me concerned staying close to Yuuki-sama at all times… and _she_ won't leave your side…"

"Yuu…ki?" The question turned into moan as Seiren released his head letting it fall to the pillow with a painful jerk. Now though - with his head tilted like that - he was able to see the one that he was asking about – lying limply sprawled and pale on the other bed – a worry for her overriding any bodily discomfort he was currently feeling.

"Yuu…ki," he queried urgently, valiantly trying to lift himself to a semi-sitting position, so that he could see her better, his efforts feeble and unsuccessful until the vampiress decided to take pity on him and _dragged _him higher, pushing the pillows farther under his back. But even the bitter remorse at being handled like this couldn't last in the face of his prime and only concern. "Is she?.. Was she hurt too?.."

"Not in the battle," Seiren didn't even make an effort to hide the contempt heavily permeating her words. "She just gave almost all of her blood for _you_… And she _willed _us not to interrupt her, because she knew that we _would have_… As it was we couldn't act until she weakened too much and couldn't _hold_ us out anymore…"

Zero closed his eyes, mortified by the import of what he just heard. Yuuki… gave all her blood for _him_?.. For the very person who swore that he hated her?.. who threatened to kill her?.. And his conscience supplied unhelpfully that it was something that didn't even sound like such a surprize – however he tried to push her away - _his _Yuuki had never hesitated to do just such a foolish sacrificial thing…

But what of Kuran?.. Why hadn't _he_ stopped her?.. The probable answer burned with painful clarity in his mind…

…_because you killed him… that's why…_

…yet he found himself unable to ask – and have the horror confirmed… So he asked another question instead that was more pressing and almost as scary…

"She… will she be alright?"

A fleeting expression almost akin to compassion flickered for barest second within the cold steel eyes, directed, Zero was sure, not at him – but at the girl in the other bed.

"Yes… she should be… though it took a ton of blood tablets we couldn't really spare, and the blood of a few of us, who barely could spare it either… but now all she needs is just plenty of rest... And so do you…" she stretched her hand suddenly pressing the palm firmly to his forehead, and he felt the faint warmth enter his mind making his eyelids droop sleepily.

"No!" He jerked out of her touch, though his neck and back violently protested the abrupt movement.

"Don't be a _child_, Kiryuu…" Hissed the vampiress disparagingly, "you _need _rest! Yuuki-sama almost gave her life to save yours, and I won't see her efforts go a-waste!"

"No, damn it!" He felt his own temper flare accordingly, as his guilt and frustration sought for release "I'm not _refusing_! Just show a bit of _patience_ and tell me what happened after I… passed out… that's all!"

"Ah… yeah…" The vampires relented. "You've missed quite a lot, haven't you?" She perched on the edge of his bed, and her brow furrowed in an attempt to present as concise account as could be and end it at that. "Well… there was quite a number of level D's and E's brought by Rido… sama…"

Zero smirked a bit – his mood lifting a notch from the sub-zero depths to which it had fallen - it was so inbred in the nobles, this regard for the purebloods - that she couldn't drop the respective "sama" even though it positively reeked with resentment when attached to the older Kuran's name.

"…and the Council of Elders and the Hunters' Association as well… but the Day Class is safe - though for a moment there it was touch and go… before your teacher and some other hunters arrived… never thought I would be grateful to the hunters…" she shook her head as if the very thought was incomprehensible, before admitting, "We were outnumbered too much…"

"My teacher… Yagari-sensei… is he alright?" Zero strived to clarify before she continued and was surprised to see an almost fond expression and a twinkle appear for a moment in Kaname's body-guard's eyes.

"Your teacher, Kiryuu, is something… if he weren't alright, I don't know who would… well, I… maybe. But I'll concede it's a draw…"

Ow… shit… coming from her it was almost a declaration of affection, wasn't it? An admission of equality – for sure… And some wicked part of Zero stored it for further usage for when (and if) he needed to taunt his sensei a little. He chose not to pursue the subject further with the vampiress though - being somewhat fearful that in her wrath Seiren just could overdo the "sleep well" spell that she intended to use on him into a "rest in peace".

In fact she was pretty much losing the patience with him as it was.

"One more question, Kiryuu, and I'm sending you off to sweet oblivion… Don't glare at me," she added angrily. "If you could see yourself now, you'd be surprised that I have given you so long."

Zero contemplated his options – he wanted to learn about the Chairman too, but he was uneasily aware that Seiren more likely than not resort to promises unless she meant to follow on them - explicitly, and there was _one_ question that he had avoided for long enough, something he wouldn't sleep until he finally _knew_… God, but it needed some _courage_ to voice it though…

"Kana…" he started but quickly corrected himself, "Kuran?.. Did he…" _Survive_ was what he wanted to add but the word lodged like a clot in his throat and wouldn't bulge. His eyes were firmly glued to the stoic vampiress face and a frown of surprised incomprehension passing over it sent the tingling sense of near relief throughout his body.

"Kaname-sama?.. Not that it is any business of yours, but he left right after he brought you here…"

_It was Kaname who brought me?_

But that meant that he was alive… that Zero didn't kill him after all… yet even as a cool hand pressed over his forehead again and he started to slip into the welcome drowsiness, another thought struck him – a horrible possibility that refused to be left unexplored.

"Was he… himself?" His words were slurring sleepily and the whole concept of possession was too complicated to make sense for those who hadn't _witnessed _it, even if he were able to explain…

The blurry spot that was Seiren's face drew nearer, her voice sounding quizzical, almost amused – she probably thought he was just mumbling senselessly on the verge of sleep.

"Himself… what do you mean by that?"

"Rido…" He whispered, as if the name alone could suffice. He was so… so very tired now…

But surprisingly the vampiress had caught his meaning perfectly, because her voice sounded almost tender as the spell she worked sent him further into oblivion.

"Ah… that… we would've sensed it, you know?.. Don't worry, Kiryuu, he was undoubtedly _himself_…"

***

And then the sleep finally claimed him… a bittersweet dream… where he saw Yuuki (her former self) chirping something happily at the head of the table… and the Chairman and his sensei quietly discussing something by the window… and himself and Ichiru sat to both sides of Yuuki over their bowls of tomato soup… yet even there, in the dream, he knew it was but a dream, something that "never could be"… and still clung to it stubbornly…

Only – each time he concentrated on eating his soup – he knew without doubt that it was Ichiru there, sitting across from him… but each time that he looked at his brother's face it blurred - merging into the one of the brown-haired vampire…

And he could so kill Kuran for spoiling his dream… he could so… so… kill him for that…


	18. Mixed Ingredients 1

**AN:** I'm sorry for a long absence, it had its reasons on which I'd rather not dwell now, but at least I return with the longest chapter I've written so far for this fic. On the down side - it revolves mostly around those, who remain in the Sun Dorms - Kain, Shiki and Rima, but it is very much a necessary chapter plot-wise, and I hope that the many characters I have in this story do not all look/think alike and are at least partially recognizable :D

_Edited_: Lol at me publishing it two days before chapter 48, which is so Cain-fangirlable :D Feel a bit bad about Aidou-dono now - after all, canon-wise he seems to grant Kaname a benefit of a doubt, or at least - wishes to hear his son's POV before jumping to any conclusions.

Thank you again (and again, and again))) to YenGirl for correcting my mistakes.

**Disclaimer is still the same.**

* * *

Akatsuki hated responsibility and tried to avoid it. This tendency of his revealed itself in the subtle facts – in how he constantly defied the dress-code both at the Cross Academy and at the few soirees where he was invited, in how he never stuck too closely to the rules, in how he habitually forgot to drag the brush through his basically anyway unruly hair when he got up in the evening. It wasn't much, but he wasn't the one for ostentatious means and in his mind at least – it was entirely enough to show the responsibility that he was _unsuitable_.

It didn't help much though. For whatever reasons – the responsibility just _loved him._ It followed him around with persistence worth of a stalker fangirl and immediately planned some new advances as soon as he grudgingly succumbed to another one of its tricks.

And eventually he always succumbed…

He was barely four when his cousin's father as much as officially assigned him responsible for Hanabusa behaving (or rather _mis_behaving) himself, even though in fact Hanabusa was the older one by almost a half-year and it was all too apparent even at so young an age that the spoilt young genius and good behavior were two things that _didn't mix_, like… well, like ice and fire…

But that was one responsibility so old it had become almost second nature to Cain, to the point that he didn't even bat an eyelid when Kaname-sama picked up on it right where their parents had let off.

When he was seven and his vampire abilities started to develop – his own father, a little shocked that his quiet little son would come to command such raw power, gave him a long and boring in its obviousness lecture on the responsibility that the dangerous art of fire-wielding entailed. "Control and control again," he stressed forcefully. Like Akatsuki needed to be reminded… it was painfully clear that even Hanabusa's ice, equally dangerous as it was if applied unthinkingly, left unattended just melted into a harmless puddle… the fire on the other hand, even a tiny flame, left unattended tended to spread in the most ominous way… and after the first mishap he voted to himself to never ever allow anything of this kind to happen again, silently binding to another responsibility thrust on him by the very nature of his gift.

Then again – there was the responsibility he felt for Luca – self-assigned and as such both easier and harder to bear. He looked out for her for as long as he loved the girl, which was – in retrospect – for as long back as he could remember. Of course, for the greater part of this time she had been in love with another person, never mind that her feelings were never reciprocated, and Akatsuki was left to hover constantly at the fringes of her awareness – someone to whom she turned for comfortable companionship, someone on whom she counted for the mending of her broken heart.

And because both she and his stupid obsessive cousin cared deeply for Kaname-sama, he thought of himself as partially responsible for him as well – not in any real way, the pureblood was too powerful, independent and reclusive for that, and of course, bending to every wish of a pureblood was part of a vampire psychology, - but for Akatsuki it went a little deeper than that – doing Kaname-sama's bidding ensured the satisfaction not only of the Dorm leader Kuran but also of the two people who played the most important role in Akatsuki's life.

Unfortunately, for Cain and his strained relationship with responsibilities at large – doing Kaname-sama's bidding involved a whole swarm of secondary responsibilities – for his precious Yuuki(-sama), for promoting the co-existence (read the endless socializing events that the Chairman thought up for both Night Class and Day Class together), for keeping the rest of the Night Class in line and happy and safely on blood tablets, and even for hunting the level Es in the nearby town – so that the area around the Academy remained all peaceful and safe.

So in fact, he guessed, it was all building gradually towards the last few days – where in absence of both Kaname-sama and Ichijou he somehow found himself responsible for the defense of the Day Class and the Academy grounds, shouldering the responsibility – as always actually – for the simple reason that there was no one else either willing or suited to pick it up besides himself.

***

It was the second day or more like - the third night since he slept properly and his mind was lagging both from the lack of rest and the sheer multitude of things that still awaited his urgent attention.

Blood tablets… that was a priority right now – the blood tablets… They had already ransacked the infirmary and pulled together what meager supply each of them carried on him- or herself, and he knew without a doubt that it was barely enough (if at all) to last entrusted to him group of battle-tired vampires – some of whom had to heal their own wounds and others had shared blood with those whose condition demanded more powerful measures – through this night… and no further. After that all hell was bound to come lose, and he only hoped that they would have the Day Class (another point that needed attention) safely brainwashed and out of the premises before it did.

The Moon Dorm had to be checked for some supply could still be available amongst the ruins. And also (if he could but locate Yagari-sensei) there were bound to be a few crates freshly delivered to the Chairman's house. Only – he had lost the track of the one-eyed hunter some time just before the end of the battle, and even he wouldn't try to approach the Cross's residence now – with a bunch of trigger-happy vampire hunters camped around it and bound to shoot any vampire who dared come near before even thinking to check if it was foe or friend.

Those were but a few – and enough to take him the night if not longer…

_And to boot – __my stupid cousin is playing stupid childish games with me… _

Cain felt the dark wave of irritation rise inside him and mentally shoved it right back – it was plain dangerous for a fire-wielder to let the emotion grow out of control… though the common lore of the vampires – unscientific and unsubstantiated by any serious research as it was – firmly held that it were exactly the vampires with highly volatile tempers that usually acquired the command of so called "elemental" forces, while those better in control of their own minds were gifted with more intricate and subtle powers… Now, he could accept the theory where himself and Hanabusa were concerned, but as it also meant that Luca with her mind-manipulation was the _controlled _one…

_Yeah, right… tell me again…_

But that was beside the point… He rubbed his forehead where a headache had been pulsing with ever growing intensity for the last three hours, trying – as was a long-standing habit of his to analyze the roots of his irritation, which usually (if not always) served to reduce it in half…

He was just tired… deathly tired… and after he had tried to lie down – just for an hour – leaving the partially recovered Ichijou to supervise the place, and was woken in barely fifteen minutes to a raging inferno that cost his cousin a really painful injury – something that could've been easily avoided if he had been there to begin with (and not elsewhere - happily dozing off) – he was superstitiously afraid to so much as close his eyes until he was absolutely sure that it was _all over_, and until Kaname-sama returned to lead them again.

That was it – the guilt for not being there instead of Aidou – that only strengthened the irritation Akatsuki felt for him - and the fact that he couldn't be sure that it wasn't _his fireball_ that had somehow singed a wooden part of the building, and then it smoldered unnoticed till the fire broke out at the early hours of dawn. It could so easily be so… there were some moments in the heat of the battle when he worked on instinct alone, only intent on keeping enemies from his class-mates' backs, tracing the balls to the point when they met with their targets and not really paying attention to where they proceeded from there…

_So stupid – to feel irritation because of your own guilt…_

Then again – there was an irritation born from the hope thwarted. When the younger vampire ran to him with the word that Aidou had found Kaname-sama and they could now stop with the search, Cain seriously hoped to see the elusive Dorm leader back at the helm, so to say, and, God knows, it was something he couldn't wait for! Only – upon return – he had found neither Kaname-sama, nor Hanabusa, only Shiki and Rima keeping guard at the doors of the Sun Dorm and looking their usual laid-back and disinterested selves.

"Your cousin?" Shiki answered casually, "He's been and left. Only told us to send someone to you to inform you that he's found Kaname-sama, talked with Takuma and then they both disappeared in a bit of a hurry…"

_Oooh, great! The only other person who would assume at least a part of authority!.._

Akatsuki mentally braced as he heard a loud crash and an angry wail coming from inside the Dorms. Luca – unlike himself – hadn't stopped to question the guards but proceeded right in (to check that her beloved Kaname-sama was sound and safe, of course), and now she was bound to come out any minute in a murderous rage that – per usual – in the absence of actual culprit (aka Hanabusa) would be diverted to his 'next of kin' (aka himself). Like it wasn't enough that he had to listen to her angry ramblings about 'Hanabusa scoring on her _again_!' in the whole search-party business all the way as they returned to the Dorms…

"Have you seen where they went to?" He asked tiredly.

"Nope," answered Rima this time, even her habitually bored gaze training somewhat apprehensively on the doors. "He told us to close our eyes and count to ten…"

_That's what I mean by childish games, __**see**_?

"Oh, and… Shiki!" she nudged her companion non-too-gently into his ribs.

"Ah, yeah! He left you a note too," the auburn-haired vampire searched in his pocket producing first a pack of Pockies, then a handkerchief and then a carefully folded piece of paper. "Here you go."

The paper was longish, but held in fact only a pair of hastily scribbled lines in Hanabusa's nearly indecipherable handwriting.

"Cuz," it said, "I found K.-s."

_Like __I don't know it already… _

"Took Takuma"

_Ditto… _

"Borrowed some food and fifty pills"

_Oh __**fabulous**_!!!

Now, come to that – fifty tablets weren't that much for three vampires, two of whom were recovering from pretty serious injuries… It's only that they had had about five tablets per a vampire as it was, eight for each reserved for the two who were currently guarding the day class – and now this number had to be reduced even further… That's what almost made Cain _burn_ the offending paper this moment, and pity that it wasn't his cousin's ass!

Luckily the next two lines made him squint thoughtfully before he gave in to the impulse – because on the surface of it they seemed just oddly out of place.

"Sorry to leave you all Alone," they said, "Warm kisses. H."

Could it be?.. Yes, he supposed that with his cousin it really could be… He brought the paper closer to his nose – sure enough, even through the overlapping chocolate and wafer of Senri's pockies it smelled faintly of apples…

_So, it was apple juice that he used…_

That was another _childish game_ of his cousin's. And this time Akatsuki meant it seriously – way in their childhood Hanabusa had read somewhere about the sympathetic ink and from then on, every time they wanted to plan some adventure secretly from Luca or their parents, they'd pass back and forth such innocuous looking notes, the real message in which would only be revealed if one heated the paper – something that never was a problem for Cain, and Hanabusa… well, Hanabusa anyway was usually the one who _initiated_ the prank.

Grudgingly Akatsuki decided to grant his cousin a benefit of a doubt. Maybe there _was_ something serious inside the paper, maybe Aidou's actions had a purpose and weren't just an unthinking irresponsibility that he had been all too ready to accuse him in… but then – who wouldn't? There was ample evidence in the past that Hanabusa was prone to act without consideration, and maybe it was just wishful thinking on Cain's part when he noticed his cousin actually beginning to take the responsibility seriously –in the last few months…

His sensitive hearing detected the angry stomping over the wooden stairs that led from the second floor… Luca… He loved her, dearly… but Hanabusa's note clearly stated 'alone'… besides… frankly… just for once - he wasn't ready to take another bout of Luca's rage on top of his other strains…

"Hey guys," he asked with a faint little smile (_Am I not Hanabusa's cousin?)_. "How about closing your eyes and counting to ten once again?"

Shiki smirked and even Rima nodded with complete understanding. But – ah! He was too responsible for his own good. Bending down, so that his mouth was right by Senri's ear, he whispered so quietly he barely could hear himself.

"Just in case of something serious – I will be at the Moon Dorm, checking for any tablets… Now," he continued in a normal voice. "Close your eyes."

***

The first thing that shocked him when he neared the place that had served as their 'home away from home' for the last few years was the scope of destruction – nothing but a few walls at the westernmost end of the building survived, and then so barely that even for a vampire it would have been madness to explore the ruins without at least some lighting and a ready backup. Only the guard tower by the gates, where the old gatekeeper used to sit, regarding with equal suspicion both the Night students and guests, looked curiously untouched – as if whatever fairly demolished the main mansion was a controlled blast directed to Moon Dorms and Moon Dorms alone…

He wondered momentarily – who of the three purebloods was responsible for the destruction… or maybe each contributed to it – in their own way… And if one believed what Shiki reluctantly related about the fighting – Zero seemed to participate in this battle in the manner that Cain would've never expected from the ex-human however strong he was and whatever hunter skills the prefect possessed…

The other thing that gradually registered through the initial shock was the sight of numerous bats circling over the ruins like a swarm of troubled birds. Not any ordinary bats either – as a pair of them immediately aimed for him, lowering to the point they were positively sniffing upon his hair (which was actually what they _did_, as the smell was the only way that the blood bats, the peculiar message system of noble vampires, could distinguish their particular addressee). The one that left after sniffing with a distressed shriek was, he supposed, directed to Hanabusa – Cain and Aidou bloodlines being close enough that their smells could be mistaken from further afar - and the one that remained showed every indication of wanting to latch on every exposed part of his skin, which meant that it was indeed addressed to him… by his father?

Stretching his hand out Akatsuki willed the tiny creature to sit on his finger, but stubbornly refused it the permission to bite, observing the sheer multitude of blood bats flying over the Moon Dorm with a troubled frown. Sending a bat was hardly an everyday occurrence. No, it was a difficult and strength-consuming technique that not even all of noble families could master. The creatures were actually created of their sender's blood and vampiric powers, and for ordinary noble dispatching one would result in a bout of acute fatigue that lasted from several hours to a whole day. They were therefore only used to deliver the news of utmost urgency and those that should and could be received by the only person they were directed to and no one else. In all other cases vampires usually relied on common post or a private carrier.

To see a whole _swarm_ of blood bats could spell only two things – either something of fairly catastrophic proportions had happened in the outside world, or the parents of the Night Class students had somehow got wind of the battle that took place on the Academy grounds and wanted to make sure ASAP that their offspring had survived unscathed. But of course – none of the young vampires had wandered to the destroyed dormitory since the battle – and the bats – simple creatures that they were - directed to a particular place couldn't smell their recipients over the distance separating the Dorms.

But it was no use speculating about the purpose of the messengers when he could learn at least what his own father found urgent enough that he deemed it necessary to dispatch a bat. Closing his eyes Cain let the creature sink its small fangs into his finger, imagining his father's calm voice as he absorbed the words, or rather – carefully lined up thoughts that flooded his bloodstream.

"_Son, listen carefully because the news that I convey are of the utmost importance. _

_The word had spread by and large through the vampire community that your Dorm leader, pureblood Kaname Kuran, had consciously and cruelly murdered the entire Council of Elders. As you can imagin__e, it caused a great uproar and shock, and even though many of us had desired the end of the Council's rule and the restoration of the monarchy, the actual manner in which the deed was performed has swayed the community, and… to my great sorrow the prevailing opinion throughout it now is that the honorable pureblood prince Kaname-sama has gone mad – much in the same way as the late Shizuka Hiou before him. _

_It's not yet an official decision – mostly because the very organ responsible for making it official was the one that has been physically disposed of, but I fear – it will be as soon as the word gets further spread. And you know as well as I do what consequences it would mean for Kaname-sama. If there is something that even the nobles fear it is a pureblood, who's gone mad and at that – in a murderous fashion._

_Unfortunately it is not only the pro-council families that have been swayed by this incident. Even those who stood firm for monarchy are now considering other possibilities than the Kuran clan, even though it has precedence when it comes for the throne. It's not five minutes since I have received the bat from Aidou, and he informed me that he intended to pull Hanabusa out of the Academy as soon as he could contact him. It could be that he only means to protect his son, but the whole of his message leads me to suspect otherwise – so you see, how deep indeed do the doubts reach._

_I hope though that I know somewhat better where yours and Hanabusa's loyalties rest, and I hope to God that the whole mess would right itself somehow, and the actions of Kaname-sama have a valid reason behind them, and that this reason would be explained and accepted by the community before the bad comes to worse._

_My heart aches for Hanabusa and the choice he faces… but, please, entreat him on my behalf to not judge his father rashly. He, after all, has __a wife and two daughters to protect besides his heir and son. _

_Me, having no such responsibilities, intend to maintain a neutral position – unless you wish me to support the cause, the choosing of which I entrust entirely to you. Just, please, be careful, son, and whatever path you choose, my love and the support of the Cain clan will always be towards you."_

_Ow fucking shit!.._

Letting the bat partake of his blood and fly away with the simple message of "Thank you, father, I will inform you later", which no doubt carried the overtones of shock and inner turmoil that he felt – Cain wandered aimlessly into the guard-tower, instinctively seeking some kind of sanctuary from the sight of all too many bats (no doubt – carrying the same news), and hunched over the table there as a person who just received a veritable punch in the gut.

What should he do? Send the Night Class students over here – and risk that half of them would leave before the daybreak on request of their families? Keep the information to himself – and risk their lives and also the chance that the decision would be taken all the sooner if the vampire community believed that their children's fate was at stake?

For the first time in those two days he felt that he was out of his depth. Let's face it – he thrived on responsibilities, whatever he pretended to the opposite, - but this was one responsibility he was not prepared to carry. He was reasonably good tactician, but no strategist… He knew where his own loyalties lay – but not what to do…

_And Hanabusa… Hanabusa!.._

To think that his cousin would abandon Kaname-sama was ridiculous… but Cain knew that what he would deem as 'his father's betrayal' would hurt the younger Aidou terribly…

_Ah… I wish I could somehow change this, cuz…__ I hope Kaname-sama has some plan for it… speaking of which!.._

He remembered the crumpled note that still rested unread inside his pocket, completely overshadowed by recent developments. He took it out now and lighted a little flame upon his left palm, holding the paper over it with his right hand and reading the yellowish-brown lines as soon as they appeared. As his eyes reached the lower edge of the letter he let the paper fall into flames and turn to so much dust…

_Ow shit… oh holy, bloody shit… The bad news never travel alone, do they?.._

But in view of what he read he only needed to inform Hanabusa more urgently about the news. He wished he had mastered the blood bat sending already… or wasn't too fatigued to send one anyway… or at least knew where his damned cousin _was_… He hoped to God Shiki and Rima had in fact peeked between the lashes at what direction Hanabusa and Takuma took just as they did it when he himself left.

***

Rima watched the tall figure of Akatsuki Cain walk slowly from the direction of the Moon Dorms.

She knew that Shiki, who faced the opposite direction, was nevertheless as aware of the approach of the red-haired vampire, and the troubled aura that surrounded him – even if he didn't show it outwardly. That was the way with Shiki – half the time he looked as if he was completely out of it, yet Rima knew that in fact he registered what happened around him just as sharply as any other person – he simply wouldn't react to it, but that was alright with Rima – he'll speak when he wants...

So she continued to watch the approaching red-head 'on her own' and she didn't like what she saw.

Usually, she actually thought Cain-san to be rather cool... Well, at least he wasn't so overboard as his two 'charges' – Hanabusa and Luca, providing a stolid axis for their little group and a reliable safety-net for the other two... Now she wondered if Akatsuki himself had a safety-net that he could rely upon (maybe because he looked like he needed one now?)... Somehow she couldn't imagine either Aidou or Luca in this role, and she felt a momentary twinge of pity – the kind of pity she sometimes felt for Kaname-sama (though she never mentioned it even to Senri or Takuma) – for _no one should have to stay strong all the time..._

But Kaname-sama at least had Takuma, whom he felt reasonably comfortable about... and Takuma had Shiki, and Shiki had her _and_ Takuma, and she had Shiki... They were so lucky that their relationship was a kind of a shifting, constantly changing one, where everyone was allowed to feel down, and everyone was prepared to be a silent comfort and a safe place for each other... Even now, after all the troublesome events, that were bound to mix things up – what with Shiki growing so much calmer and more content, and Takuma had lost some of his sunny exuberance, and she... Rima supposed that she had changed as well... But they were still together, and that was the main thing...

Akatsuki was barely a few meters from them, and up close he looked even worse then from afar... Surely this man should be in bed and sleeping now... 'With Luca,' the impish part of Rima's mind provided. Well, why not? It was high time that Miss I'm-the-Perfect-Lady-here Souen stopped pining over Kaname-sama and recognized the man, who loved her so _obviously..._ Was that exactly the problem? That Cain had always been there for Luca, supportive and strong, had _always_ loved her? Well, maybe if she could see him now – so worn out and defeated, suffering from the headache, if the way he rubbed his forehead almost constantly without even noticing that he was doing so was any indication... Rima played with the mental image for a little while and then dropped it into the imaginary dust bin. Last time she saw Luca (less then half an hour ago, storming in a blind rage out of the Dorm doors), she was clearly not in a comforting mood...

"I'm sorry, Cain-san," Rima explained, "your cousin had asked us to turn to the wall as well... we really couldn't see a thing..." Shit, she wished she _could_ help. "Uh... by the smell of it, they moved..." she started, but caught her words as Senri's hand touched her shoulder in calming and decisive gesture.

Her eyes shot to his face – yes, he certainly looked as if he came to some kind of decision and meant to act on it with the same grim determination that had brought them to the abandoned Council House just yesterday...

"There is no need for it," he said now, calmly looking up into Cain's eyes. "I can find Takuma no matter where he is".

_O sure and he proved it already!.._ but Rima felt she was missing something and it wasn't until she saw a curious – half-surprised and half-amused way in which Cain regarded Senri that the penny finally dropped, and she couldn't stifle a little gasp...

"We have a double-sided bond, yes," Shiki confirmed simply, continuing in this sometimes very annoying manner of his – not as if he really cared what they thought, but like for some unknown reason _he_ felt the need to explain. "My father bit him – to always know where he were, or to have it as a kind of hold over Ichijou... or just because he _could? _I'm not sure... But bonds are body stuff, so I... inherited it... That's how I found Takuma back at the Council. And it has only grown more pronounced once the bond was completed."

'Oh,' Rima thought quietly, 'so that's why he hesitated for the barest second before pressing his slit wrist to Takuma's pale lips back then...'

Double-sided bond... It would surely shift the balance in their relationship even further... But it was still OK... well, she hoped... and if not, she supposed that she could always entice Senri somehow to drink from her, or drink from Ichijou herself, or both... and they will all be bonded and live happily ever after...

Her hopeful imaginings drew to a hasty halt as she noted that Senri's gaze had grown ever so slightly defiant, and Akatsuki had this faintly doubtful frown on his face...

_Oh, no... will people forever doubt __**Shiki **__just because __**Rido**__ acted so dastardly while he was inside him?_

Somehow she had never thought that Cain was the one to jump to conclusions like this... but clearly whatever he wanted to tell his cousin was one damned important matter...

"Your uncle..." he asked unexpectedly, "he was in the Council of Elders?"

Just what did _this_ have to do with everything? Shiki though looked almost relieved, his lips lifting in a small merciless smile.

"My uncle," he searched for the way to put it better, "was the one who... introduced me to my father."

Akatsuki nodded, as if this answer explained everything, and rubbed his forehead again. It once again looked as if she was missing on something that the two understood perfectly, but this time there wasn't a penny to drop, and Rima resigned herself to the fact that it was probably one of the 'male' things...

"I'll write the note. For Aidou mostly, but really – for anyone there..." Akatsuki lowered himself onto the cold steps. His long-limbed frame looked incongruous and touching there – all sharp angles of elbows and knees - as he wrote the small page, torn from a notebook that Rima carried habitually in her pocket. "You too," he said giving the note to Shiki, "read it first. It wouldn't do – for you to jump into something, without knowing what you're jumping in".

He looked grim, Rima thought. In fact – he looked as if he expected that Shiki would refuse – as soon as he had read what was in that note.

But the stormy blue eyes calmly read the note top to end and the pale slender fingers barely twitched, folding the paper in two and dropping it into the pocket.

"I'll go then?" And then Senri made this strange, graceful, uniquely _his _half-step – towards the place where she stood, giving a little tug to one of her pony-tails. "You... stay safe, Touya?.." And next he was gone – so quickly that if they both weren't vampires as well - they wouldn't have noticed how.

"Well, so... that's that..." Cain sighed, his hand once again lifting of its own volition towards his forehead, as he prepared to stand up, and Rima came to a decision all her own. Her boys should be sound and safe - together as they would be soon, blood bond and all... and she could do something good, so why not?

"No, Cain-san," she laid a small hand on his shoulder, keeping him seated. "I cannot heal, like Kaname-sama does, but when Senri has a headache, he says it helps when I give him a head massage... Please, let me?" She suddenly felt very self-conscious – what if Shiki only said that to make her feel good?

But the read-haired vampire only gave a little nod, as if his head ached just too much to subject it to a more definite movement, "Yes, please..." and leaned a little forward to provide a better access - so trustingly that Rima knew that she _had_ to try.

She took the small pillow that Shiki brought for her earlier, so that she hadn't to sit on the cold stone, and settled behind his back a step above from him, spreading her legs to both sides of the sitting man – in most unladylike fashion - 'Luca would never sit like that,' she thought to herself, somewhat snidely. But she was no Luca, and it was by far not the _most_ provocative pose she had to take for the photoshoots... Tentatively, she stretched her fingers, rubbing gently yet firmly through the tousled red strands.

Apparently, she did something right, since she felt Akatsuki lean subtly into her touch, the way Senri always did, and she became more confident, running soothing circles across his temples, bringing him more back into herself, so that she could work his forehead as well, and getting another encouragement in a form of a soft sigh... Well, she might not be able to rid him of his headache in the long run, but at least what she did helped for now...

In a pair of minutes his head fell a little sideways onto her breast, another soft sigh turning into equally soft, barely audible snoring and Rima recognized with a surprise that Cain was sound asleep – sitting on cold and hard steps, leaning uncomfortably backwards at an odd angle – he was sound asleep and she just couldn't find it in herself to wake him up immediately...


	19. Mixed Ingredients 2

**AN: **First of all - sorry for my long silence - both in regards of new chapters and answering/writing the reviews. I was sort of on the move constantly with barely time in between to keep up with RL. Hopefully the situation will improve. *is so sorry*

I seriously wonder if you think this chapter is like "the epitome of OOC-ness". I was sort of going on conclusion that the events they went through had changed everybody - each in his/her own way. Actually it was great fun to try to figure the effect on various characters, but unfortunately - a large part of Shiki's POV that I already have wouldn't fit inside this chapter, and would have to wait till his later appearances to be revealed. So - if you think he is terribly OOC, please bear in mind that he had gone through maybe the **most** profound experience, and hopefully after I explain it in more detail in the next chapters you will find it easier to believe.

Many thanks to YenGirl for beta-ing me again!

**Disclaimer still stands.**

* * *

Takuma's hand lightly ghosted over the shoulder of the sleeping pureblood. He was standing like this for well over five minutes – reluctant to go, studiously ignoring Aidou, who was making him all kinds of impatient grimaces from the open door of the kitchen.

Why did Hanabusa remain there all that time anyway? Did he really fear that Takuma would attack Kaname for his precious blood? How ridiculous! Instinct or not – the thought of doing that didn't even enter the Vice Dorm Leader's mind. It's just… It was hard to see the pureblood like this – weakened and vulnerable – especially for a friend… If they _were_ friends… Takuma liked to think of their longstanding acquaintance being a friendship, but was it?

True, Kaname seemed more at ease with him, less mindful of his impeccable image and unbreakable composure, and true, the pureblood allowed Takuma a measure of the happy-go-lucky behavior that would've caused his instant displeasure in any other noble – including involving himself in some of the younger vampire's practical pranks. And yes, Kaname trusted him enough to let him in onto the secret of his attachment to Yuuki-chan, if not her real identity…

Ah, exactly!.. Even after all this years there still seemed to be a kind of invisible barrier surrounding the pureblood that neither of them ever attempted to cross. However friendly they were in everyday life (or rather however friendly Takuma behaved around Kaname, and however accepting Kaname appeared towards him) it never touched on the real, serious problems that bothered the pureblood. The plans he made, the enemies he sought to defeat, the challenges he was forced into – in all that Takuma felt that he was held just as blissfully ignorant as any other noble within Kaname's circle, learning of them on the "need to know" basis only at the exact moment that Kaname had a use for himself.

Was it part of Kaname being a pureblood, common for their kind? Or was it him being the millennia old ancestor in the Kuran heir's youthful body – the fact that Takuma still found hard to comprehend? But for god's sake, it was Takuma who held and consoled him in the weeks following what was supposed to be Haruka and Juri's suicide – and Kaname never even told him that they were _murdered_?! He trusted him enough to take him along when he visited Yuuki, but it was not him but Rido that finally revealed the true relations between the two? He gathered everybody under the roof of this school, knowing full well of the danger that was to descend on them at some point – but chose to keep them all, including Takuma, in the darkness till that time came…

But then – was this barrier solely and exclusively Kaname's fault? When asked directly – as Takuma had a chance to witness in the last few weeks – he answered with excruciating and almost shocking honesty – both to Aidou's probing (trust the impulsive Hanabusa to mount a whole research on the matter…) and to Ichiru's parting jibe… Actually – it could almost seem that the pureblood was _glad _to admit it finally – both the truth about his parents' death and his own humiliating subjugation to Rido…

So maybe it was Takuma's own fault as well – for choosing to remain ignorant? For caring enough to worry when the pureblood seemed preoccupied or depressed and to volunteer eagerly to run the small errands for him, but not enough to venture beyond the impassive façade that Kaname presented to everyone and strive to understand the real person it hid?..

Out of all of them – he was the only one who knew _for sure_ – that Kaname was not invincible, nor unbreakable, so how could he have fallen for the same old tale as everybody – that the pureblood was all-powerful and would solve whatever problems the future brought for them? How could he not have noticed the strain and exhaustion that were slowly eating up Kaname's strength?

Even when faced with that impossible choice of keeping loyalty to Kaname or going (if in appearance only) against him so that he could (maybe) protect Shiki – the choice had seemed an easy one for the Vice Dorm president – surely Kaname could take care of himself, when Shiki apparently could not… Maybe because one always looked strong… and the other - weak…

Only in the end – instead of shattering Shiki, the experience made him calmer – more self-assured and decisive than ever before… and Kaname ended up by that lake – alone… defenseless… _dying…_ if not for a human girl and a hunter… and thank God that it was Yagari-sensei and not some other hunter, who would've rather finished a helpless vampire than try to save him despite the odds…

Lowering his head in his self-imposed guilt, Takuma completely forgot the simple fact that at the time of Kaname's worst predicament he himself was barely recovering from grievous wounds – kept alive only by the generous amount of Shiki's and Rima's blood. That did not matter – in his heart of hearts he was deeply sure that there should've been something… anything… that he could've done differently to help prevent Kaname's current collapse. And because he hadn't thought of this thing back then, because indeed he had only added to the pureblood's burden by _betraying _him… reluctantly and not in earnest but _betraying _him nevertheless…

Could Kaname truly forgive him for that? He seemed to – at least that was what his words back at Ichio's study implied. And it was the only thing that made Takuma feel a little better about the whole matter – that and the solemn decision to protect the pureblood whatever the cost now – as befitting a friend…

Shaking himself out of his gloomy considerations, Takuma straightened the blanket over the tossing Kaname one last time and walked to the kitchen.

***

He and Hanabusa were the only two waking presences in the hut. The master-hunter had left to the main grounds soon after their arrival, and Yori-chan – fairly exhausted by the day's occurrences, dozed comfortably in the recliner, warmly tucked under something that looked suspiciously like the coat that Aidou had been wearing earlier, though for the life of him, Takuma couldn't remember the impetuous blonde passing anywhere near to her. Then again – he wasn't paying too much attention to notice it…

Proof apparent of that fact was that Aidou was no more standing in the door waiting for him but sitting at the kitchen table idly swirling the blood tablet solution inside his glass, letting it spill over the edge then freezing the drops in the air and catching them one by one, which was just a way to busy his hands obviously – it didn't look like he intended to drink the concoction any time soon.

The angry welts of his burn have all but faded, but the blonde still looked tired and solemnly serious sitting there – something that tugged painfully on Takuma's heartstrings – where was the impish Idol-sempai that the Day Class girls had so adored? It seemed that they all were changing – as if now that the period of artificially prolonged childhood had ended, they were growing up at an increased rate, and it filled him with a faint nostalgia over the lost innocence of their previous carefree life.

"Took you long enough…" Hanabusa grumbled half-heartedly when Takuma lowered himself into the opposite chair. "Thought I'd have to drag you away lest you stood like that for the whole night…"

Takuma sighed.

"None of us expected this, right? He always seemed like he could take the world on – single-handedly… Or was it only I who was so blind?"

"Duh… no," Aidou shook his head ruefully, "what irks me even more… you wouldn't know, since you'd been unconscious at the moment… but after he came from the Moon Dorms, carrying Kiryuu's body, it was pretty obvious something was wrong with him – not physically perhaps, but he looked… troubled and preoccupied… and yet he told us that he was fine and to leave well alone – in different ways to each - but in essence, yeah, he told us that… and we _believed_ him, as the good little nobles we are… and nobody even _thought_ of following him, nor even _worried_ too much… though in retrospect it was – as I said – obvious he was anything _but_ fine…"

Though the guilt and exasperation on Hanabusa's face matched exactly how Takuma himself had felt just a few minutes ago - it was somehow harder to see another one torture himself with the same fruitless thoughts of "what if".

"Well, Yagari-sensei seems sure that he will recover completely…" He said reassuringly. "We should be thankful to him that he took good care of Kaname in our stead."

"And to Yori-chan… It was her who had found him initially…" Hanabusa nodded, a slight somewhat rueful smile that passed over his lips and a well (but not quite) hidden warmth in his voice when he said the name reminding Takuma about the little puzzle of the coat the girl was covered with, as well as something he overheard earlier, and – hell! – it just seemed too good an excuse to tease Aidou and a nice way to lighten the gloom that the pureblood's current state had immersed them in.

"Speaking of whom…" He started, the impish twinkle in his green eyes making him look more like his former self. "What was it that Master Touga was cautioning you about with regards of Wakaba-san, before he left to replace the blood-tablets that you have stolen?"

"St-tolen?! I?!"

Ah! Hanabusa was just _that_ predictable! Look at him - he almost stuttered indignantly, the red flush creeping up his neck and face!

"OK, _we_…" Takuma corrected in a false placatory tone, knowing full well that it would only make Aidou more vehement. "_We_ stole them, and there is no getting away from the fact."

"_I_," Aidou stressed the word, as if implying that Takuma could think what he liked about the matter, "didn't steal anything! I… _borrowed_ some much needed sustenance _temporarily_… Besides – Yagari-sensei said there are two full _crates_ at Cross-san's residence. So they will end up even better off then they were before…"

"Anyway," the Vice Dorm president interrupted, satisfied that his younger companion seemed heated to the right condition. "Back to Wakaba-san…"

Frankly, Takuma didn't know much about Sayori apart from the fact that she had always seemed to be at Yuuki-chan's side whenever he'd met them during his rare day time visits. Nor could he imagine just how Hanabusa could have made her acquaintance, but the fact that there was something going on with these two was very much obvious if the blush that danced over the blue-eyed Idol's cheekbones was any indication.

"Ugh…" Hanabusa shifted uncomfortably. "That is… I… ugh… Yori-chan… eh… Yagari-sensei just…" He stopped suddenly, gesturing for silence when Takuma opened his mouth to prod him further. "There is a vampire coming… he's still too far for me to read more about him… I'll go and investigate, and you stay back and guard Kaname-sama and… Yori…"

"It's Senri," Takuma said as a sudden certainty flooded his senses. "He's probably just looking for me, so it would make sense if _I _am the one to go and meet him," he added hastily as he saw a flicker of displeasure pass over Hanabusa's face. Now he hoped that Aidou was just being cautious for Kaname's sake, and _not_ distrustful towards Shiki because of him being an unwilling host to Rido's consciousness not so long ago – as he wouldn't tolerate if the latter was the case… Rido's doings had nothing to do with Senri! No, of course it wasn't that – after all Hanabusa _had_ left a note for his cousin in Shiki's care…

"And just how pray he would know to come _here_ looking for you?" Aidou asked with a fair doze of suspicion aimed more at Ichijou now. "You haven't perchance told him where to look, have you?"

"If you ever have a double-sided bond, you'd know it is not all that hard to locate your bond-mate…" Takuma made it sound matter-of-fact, where in fact he almost laughed out loud at the shock registering over the other blonde's features. "I'll ask him what brings him here then…"

Privately, as he walked out of the backdoor and made his way around the hut, he couldn't care less what the reason for the maroon-haired vampire's visit really was. Somehow – just by being here – he managed to lift Takuma's spirit considerably. Relieved… yes, now that Senri was soon to be by his side – he felt relieved… marveling at just how different it felt when it was double-sided and when it was really Shiki and not Rido inside his mind on the other end of the bond.

***

Unbeknownst to Takuma, Shiki was pondering the same thing as he neared the clearing, guided unerringly by the tugging of their bond. It was truly a wonder – this warm and fuzzy feeling of well-being that was brought on by simply being close by. Silently, he vowed to somehow work on including Rima into the same circle – ideally, he thought, both him and Takuma should create a bond with her as well, but if need be - he would at least bond with her alone – or else they would eventually shut her out of their relationship (something that he just plain couldn't allow) – not consciously, but just because the connection that he shared with Ichijou now was so much more profound than the mere friendship the three of them had before.

For example – right now (and he wasn't even close to Takuma yet), Senri's mind was already filling with the echo of feelings that weren't his own – the glowing eagerness caused by his approach by far prevalent in the mix, but if one looked deeper – one could also discern the hints of helpless anxiousness (for Kaname?) and something else that felt like a warm concerned questioning reaching through the bond towards himself.

_Ah, Takuma, always worrying for other__s way too much…_

He wished that the blonde would for once stop doing it; he wished that for once he put his own well-being to the forefront… really, he wished…

He couldn't quite place a name on it but the events of the last few days had changed them irrevocably and at least for Takuma's sake he almost wished that it could somehow be undone – not the bond of course, but that faint feeling of sad brokenness that clung to Takuma after his fight with grandfather. At first he thought that it was due to the near mortal wounds, but now his friend had healed and the feeling was still there.

_He had loved the old bastard, that's why… __Or maybe because the old bastard loved him… in his own twisted way… Even if he must've long despaired to turn Takuma into his mold… _

It was almost as if their positions were reversed for once. Always in the past, it was Takuma who cared for him and upheld him throughout his weak moments and depressive moods – his eager and cheerful nature making even the darkest times bearable for Senri, and the mile-wide stubborn streak refusing to let the other wallow in self-pity even when he told the blonde to let him alone and find something better to do with his time ("Go read your manga, Ichijou-san… right?"). Now though – it was Takuma who seemed to suffer silently from some hidden hurt he wouldn't talk about; and Senri who finally felt the stronger – the one who should care and uphold the other until it healed.

So he put his arms readily around the taller vampire, resting his head on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck, wrapping him in the safety and warmth that their bond provided, and felt the slight shivers – like those of a cold receding slowly - run along the spine of the other boy and the arms that drew him closer into Takuma's chest.

_How many times it was __me who felt safe just by falling asleep on the other's shoulder?_

But the safety was false, and Cain's note burned as a live coal inside his pocket… A bearer of the bad news, that's what he was… the bird of doom… And Shiki pulled a little away reluctantly – not breaking their embrace – just far enough to be able to see Takuma's face…

"Ichijou-san… is the Cousin really as bad off as Aidou-san wrote?"

It was terribly presumptuous on his part – to refer to the pureblood in such a manner, something just _never allowed_ by the rules of vampire society – for a mere noble to claim a direct relation to a level A, even if everybody was aware that such relation existed… and it was only with Takuma that he at times called Kaname "the Cousin" – just like that – because the blonde vampire was the only one who understood precisely that it was not about self-importance or blood purity, but about the desperate need to belong and to feel connected and to have a family that he could be a part of – where the Shiki clan only ever saw him as the means to an end…

And so he redefined the family for himself – pledging his loyalty to the few people he really cared about in this big cold world – to his mother, and Rima, and Takuma, and tentatively and probably one-sidedly – "the Cousin"…

After all – Kaname was technically his cousin… Even though both him and Takuma knew the hidden lie inside the truth of it – he from his father's memories still lingering in his mind, and the images of Kaname's summoning and enslavement had unsurprisingly been ever present, ever close to the surface of Rido's thoughts… And Takuma… Takuma knew about it too, if the broken whispers of "He's the Ancestor… the Ancestor…" that he had uttered lying delirious with wounds and blood loss upon the Council floor did indeed refer to what Senri thought that they referred to…

Even so… the thing with the families that you yourself chose was that it was entirely up to you to decide who belonged to one… and as far as Senri was concerned – Kaname was still "the Cousin" ancestor or not, and a soft pang passed through his heart when the pained helplessness on Takuma's face answered his question as directly and truthfully as the words never could…

"Then", he said, dragging the folded paper out of his pocket, loathing the necessity to further burden his friend by this new development, "then I think you better read this…"

Cain hadn't written a long note, but rather cut directly to the main point - to the very real danger that could descend on them anytime now… not that night perhaps – the vampire society was not so easy to organize, especially without the Council… but if they felt scared enough – it could be the next night already… or the night after that…

"No! No, they can't do that!" Takuma's cry out was a high squeal filled with shock, loud enough to bring out Aidou and anyone else in the house unless they were asleep. "They can't declare a pureblood _mad_ and _murderous_ just like this!"

Really, sometimes Senri wondered how Takuma could've preserved so much naivety living in the same house that his grandfather, moreover – living all these years alongside Kaname, who was anything _but_ naïve in the ways the vampire world worked, and never learning a single thing in the process. Even Senri, who only could observe the Shikis as an outsider, was not _really _surprised by Cain's news…

"Yes, they could," he explained simply and patiently. "They could've waited and argued their heads off if it was about some noble, but…" Shiki let the end of the phrase hang in the air – surely it was easy to figure what followed?

_B__ut a pureblood on a murderous rampage is too much of a threat for them to ignore.._. _But they didn't know and trust Kaname as the Night Class knew and trusted him… _

"But they… they supported him…" Takuma protested weakly. "Only at the last ball, they bowed to him and praised him as if he really _was_ their king… And he did it for them!" His voice grew louder again. "The Council was going to murder us and then go for the Night Class families! We must explain it; surely it would be considered motives enough!"

"The Council was the only order they knew, Ichijou-san…"

"Hey, what's with the commotion!.. What are you doing here, Shiki, anyway?"

Just as he feared, Takuma's raised voice had drawn out Aidou, sure enough, and Senri dreaded the effect that the message would have on the blonde boy genius, on top of the agitated state that he was already in.

"Here," he took the paper out of Takuma's unresisting fingers and extended it to Hanabusa. "Your cousin sent this."

It was easy to tell the exact moment when Aidou reached the lines that spoke of his father, even though Senri had purposefully turned away to allow him some privacy. The temperature around them seemed to drop sharply and the frost ran up the wall of the outhouse, hanging in massive icicles from the low roof.

"You… you read it, didn't you?"

"Yes," he admitted calmly. "Cain-san said it was mainly for you, but also for anyone involved. He _insisted _that I read it before my departure."

The red spots flared upon Aidou's cheekbones as the temperature dropped even further, and Shiki stepped forward shielding his bond-mate because it seriously felt they would become an ice-sculpture the moment Hanabusa released his tightly pressed fists.

"We must… must protect him… somehow…" The words came as a low hiss of barely contained temper, and Shiki's heart lurched in sudden sympathy to the vampire he never previously was especially fond of.

Right, Aidou tended to be egotistical, obnoxious and too full of himself, and it all rubbed the wrong way against Shiki's own reticence… But his pain now was real, and Shiki could understand the pain of standing against one's own family all too well… as could Takuma, come to that…

The latter chewed on his lip thoughtfully, as his own shock partially subsided, and he started to sort through the few options that might be of use.

"We could go before the vampire community… to explain about the Council's plans… why Kaname was forced to do that… But most probably they would not take us seriously… We are children to them… And him being a pureblood… they would think that he used compulsion to make us stand by his side… But if… if they come for Kaname…"

"We will defend him!" There was no hesitation in Aidou's outburst, and once again Senri felt a sharp pang of pity towards the blonde.

Being the devil's advocate against one's friends was getting frustrating – yet he had to speak up exactly _because_ he cared for them _and_ cared for Kaname _no less_ than they did… It wouldn't help any if they did not understand the true gravity of the situation that faced them.

"Those wouldn't be level Es and Ds that we'd have to fight…" He started slowly in what he feared would be the longest speech he had ever given to anyone. "They would be nobles like us… only older and more experienced… besides…" _Was there even a nicer way to put this?_ "I used to think…" He struggled for words, but those were never his forte. "I used to think… me and Ichijou-san had it rougher than the rest of the Night Class… being from the pro-Council families and all, but…"

"Are you doubting my loyalty just because… because…" Aidou sputtered, "because I'm a son of a god-damned _traitor…_"

_Oh great… just the effect you aimed for…_

Surprisingly (or maybe unsurprisingly at all) it was Takuma's voice that answered quietly, his hand landing gently on Shiki's shoulder, the bond between them resonating with support… and part of Takuma's own inner pain.

"Nobody doubts your loyalty, Aidou… Nor anyone's in Kaname's inner circle… All Shiki's meant was that now we're glad that we had to choose our side way before all this… and that for the rest of the Night Class the choice between their Dorm Leader and their families could be a hard one indeed… especially if they are forced to make one across a battlefield…"

Reassured and humbled by Takuma's understanding, Senri lowered his eyes before adding slowly, "We all want to protect Kaname, Aidou-san… It is only that we should weigh the options carefully to find the best path to follow…"

"You should turn me in."

The voice was quiet, yet all three heads turned around towards the source of sudden intrusion.

Kaname stood in the doorway, the door swinging slightly behind his back on its damaged hinges. His hair was tousled and splotches of feverish red stood bright on his cheekbones against the unhealthy paleness. His clothes looked rumpled as if they hadn't been pressed or even dried properly and he hugged himself tightly, holding the long-coat closed against the cold gusts. Yet his voice sounded as calm and measured and commanding as always when he repeated (_as if they were deaf or slow and hadn't heard him first time_).

"You should _turn me in_… it is the only way."


	20. Mixed Ingredients 3

**AN:** This is not all of this chapter as I planned it, but I am flying home tomorrow, and the day upon arrival would surely be hectic (little or no writing, I'm afraid). So I deemed that if it had to be divided this is a good place, with enough plot for both semi-chapters to survive on.

Many thanks to dear YenGirl for beta-ing me once again!

**Disclaimer: **I still do not own VK, and I'm not likely to in the future either :P

* * *

"You have to turn me in... this is the only way..."

As soon as the words left the pureblood's lips, it was Aidou, of course, (who else?), who just had to step forward with an adamant, "Ah... forgive me... but no way, Kaname-sama! We... we'd _die_ if we have to before we let them have you... You... you'd have to _use compulsion_ on us to make us do it... and you haven't ever... and... and right now you can't!.."

Oh, right... and trust the obnoxious blonde to find exactly _the right_ thing to throw into the Cousin's face as well... and do it in this wordy and totally _useless_ manner...

...though of course, Shiki understood all too well that there was no other answer Kaname could truly expect... but then again he also understood, unfortunately, from where Kaname was coming, and viewed from that side - there was no other way to end this situation peacefully besides the one that the Cousin had just suggested. Actually, right now Senri couldn't come up with any middle way that would've let all of them get out of this predicament intact.

He knew also - with a certainty only reinforced by the bond - that Takuma's opinion on the matter was very much the calmer version of what Aidou had already expressed, and the only reason for him not voicing it already was that he was clearly still recovering from initial shock.

That left Senri once again, not surprisingly, as the only one - out of the four of them, he suspected, - who was able to see everything objectively and concentrate on the things no one else paid any heed to, which was getting... for the lack of better word - _boring_... But he cared both for Takuma and the Cousin enough to act on what he saw. So he stepped softly to press himself to Takuma's back and wrap his arms around the blonde noble's midriff, thus effectively distracting him from the words that had already formed on Takuma's tongue. Not only so, but he also nuzzled into the blonde's ear - or so it should've looked from outside, where in fact he murmured so softly that even Aidou, not two steps from them, wouldn't be able to hear him talk, "Takuma! This discussion can last forever, and he's shivering under the wind... it can't be good - in his condition... lead him inside and then you can argue with him to your heart's delight..."

He knew that his words had sunk home when the bond resounded with guilt and gratitude, and then Takuma was stepping forward out of his embrace, speaking in the placatory and entreating tone that only he could pull off with remotely any grace, "Kaname... let's talk about it inside ... it's cold out here, and you're not well..."

Long eyelashes rose, revealing tired and a little confused brown eyes, as if the pureblood was fluttering between exhaustion and full awareness, as Kaname accepted the offer with his usual calm graciousness, "Yes, thank you, Takuma... you follow me, please... Aidou, Shiki, you can wait in..." His voice halted uncertainly.

"In the kitchen," Takuma suggested almost immediately, but even before that Senri found himself once again moving with uncharacteristic haste, grabbing Aidou by the hand and almost dragging him back to from whence he had come...

"Come on, Aidou-san. Let's wait in the kitchen!"

All to cover for the lost and slightly disorientated look that should never, never ever be seen in any pureblood's eyes.

As soon as they turned the corner though, the blonde tore his hand forcibly out of Shiki's grip.

"That was uncalled for!" He spluttered, but reined his temper back to boil just under the surface almost immediately - which was also something of an uncharacteristic novelty. "You go into the kitchen... I'll... I'll stay out for awhile. Here," he thrusted the note that he was still holding back into Shiki's hands. "I... might succumb to temptation to tear it all to pieces... and there could be something else... important... that Cain wrote... that I haven't noticed upon the first read..."

***

As soon as Takuma entered the room directly after Kaname and closed the damaged door as best he could, the whole posture of the pureblood altered considerably, his shoulders sagging, and a few steps into the room he stopped, breathing heavily and closing his eyes as if waiting out through a dizzy spell.

Frankly, Takuma was feeling immensely privileged and relieved that Kaname still didn't feel obliged to keep up appearances for his sake. Neither did he object to the light and reverent touch of Takuma's arm around his waist, gently guiding him towards the bedside. Still dazedly, Kaname allowed the noble to remove his coat and slumped on the edge of the bed, slender shoulders shivering under the crumpled and slightly damp - whether with perspiration or just from not having dried properly (Takuma vaguely remembered having seen it spread out before the heater) - dress-shirt, his eyelashes fluttering open, then closed, then open again, as if the simple act of staying conscious and alert demanded an almost unbearable effort... and Takuma turned quickly away to compose himself, deeply affected by his long-time friend's obvious weakness.

So it was with more than a mild surprise that - having put the coats, Kaname's and his own on the crook by the door - he turned back to a sight of perfect vampire prince - as straight-backed and languid as ever (he almost could swear that even the shirt looked now not nearly as crumpled as before), a genuine smile, slightly curving the pureblood's lips directed at someone in the dimmer, more shadowed side of the room, and looking over there Takuma discovered the reason for the entire act - Sayori Wakaba had awakened and was sitting up in the recliner, rubbing still sleepy eyes with one fisted hand and covering a yawn with the other.

"Oh... Kuran-senpai... you are awake... How is your fever?" The girl asked as soon as the sight of Kaname, fully dressed and sitting at the edge of the bed, had penetrated her mind.

"Thank you, Wakaba-san, I'm feeling much better," Kaname smiled, gracefully inclining his head. "I haven't yet had an opportunity to properly thank you and Yagari-sensei for saving my life."

"Oh, that's nothing, you're welcome," she caught herself on the automatic and not exactly suitable answer and continued in a more stern and motherly tone, sounding a bit strange, when coming from someone so young. "That is... I hope that you wouldn't be as careless in the future - as to need saving. Anyway, it's mostly Master Yagari, who did everything, and I..."

"And you were there to help him with whatever you could," the pureblood interrupted her kindly but ruthlessly. "And that's not such a small thing as you seem to think. Also, even though I may be now the equivalent of a half-blind, half-deaf and otherwise severely impaired person," he sighed and Takuma's heart gave a painful lurch in an echo of this bitter admission, "but I still could say that some of the blood that was being fed to me in my sorry state was yours. Not to mention that it must have been you who summoned the hunter to help me in the first place. No, no..." Kaname shook his head as if admonishing Sayori for her extreme modesty. "Please, believe me, Wakaba-san, I have every reason to be grateful to you, and that I eternally am..."

Faced with such a thorough account of her deeds, the girl had no choice but to accept it with an answering nod, standing up and staring at the coat that covered her in sleep with a quizzical frown.

"Can someone tell me, please, what time it is?" she asked finally, and Takuma, who remembered that Kaname (for whatever reason) hated wearing anything around his wrists, checked his own watch and offered a little contritely, "It's quarter to three, Wakaba-san, sorry that we have woken you at such time of night."

"No problem," she shrugged off his apologies, "It was barely nine when Yagari-sensei fairly ordered me to sleep, so I've slept for nearly six hours and feel refreshed."

"In this case," the pureblood cut in smoothly once again, "can I ask you for another favor, Wakaba-san? Nothing big this time, just... Ichijou and I have a really important matter we need to discuss..."

"And you want me to wait in the kitchen, while you talk," the girl caught on instantly.

"Aidou and Shiki should be there to keep you from getting bored," Kaname offered, with an apologetic smile.

"Well, I'll go and brew some tea for them then," Sayori nodded briefly and went to the door, the coat still draped over her arm.

Hmm... Takuma had to admit that the girl had _class _- a kind of elegance in the very way she moved, something he thought that only the vampires possessed, and also a kind of quiet unostentious dignity that sadly _was not _to be found among the girls of his race. If that was what Aidou saw in her, no wonder that...

"Stop ogling, Takuma," the pureblood chided softly as soon as the door after Sayori had shut. "Such behavior is unbecoming in a well brought-up young noble..."

Here was one of the moments that Takuma enjoyed immensely. For some reason, it was during the moments like this, when Kaname would scold him gently for this or that insignificant fault and at the same time gaze into the distance with a hint of subdued wistfulness in his mahogany eyes, that suggested that he maybe... possibly... wished he could allow himself to misbehave in the same small and humane way, it was during the moments like that that Takuma felt closest to the pureblood, as if they really truly _were_ friends...

This time though he had but a fleeting second to relish that feeling, as the first glance towards where the pureblood was sitting snapped him out of the rosy haze and straight into a worried frenzy. For Kaname was even more slumped than before, the head resting heavily on a palm of one hand, the other arm hugging himself - as if the little pretense had sipped away whatever meager strength the pureblood still had.

"Kaname!" The noble almost cried out, rushing to the side of his friend. "Please, lie down, do... you look..." 'Like shit' was the first expression that came readily to Takuma's mind, but one just _didn't _speak to purebloods in such a way, "...exhausted..." he finished lamely, which didn't fool Kaname one little bit.

"And I feel like shit too, thank you. But that doesn't matter," he tried to straighten up stubbornly, but only ended slumped sideways instead of full forward for all his effort. "We _need _to talk, Takuma!"

"Yes, it _does _matter!" The noble protested almost angrily, sending his caution to all four winds and already bending to take off Kaname's shoes and push his legs onto bed, almost making the pureblood to fall heavily onto his side in the process. "We can talk perfectly well with you lying and me sitting here by your side... like in the old times..."

"Yes... like in the old times," Kaname conceded finally, a light shiver of relief going through his entire frame as a thick blanket was tucked warmly around his shoulders.

Unlike the old times though (and to Takuma's intense relief) the pureblood didn't turn away, presenting the noble with nothing but the sight of his tense back, but neither did he lie still, continuously trying to prop himself up on the elbow, until Takuma understood what he wanted and piled the pillows in such a way that Kaname could both relax comfortably and still retain a full sight of Takuma's own face.

They rested for a few minutes after that - Kaname's breathing harsh, laboured and distinct in the sudden quiet.

"You have to help me, Takuma..." the pureblood started finally, "have to help me to overcome their reluctance... This is the only way, surely you can see it?" He paused to catch his breath and continued in small, self-deprecatory whisper. "That's all my fault, anyway... my miscalculation... I should've addressed the nobles immediately, not relegate it to later..."

"That's bullshit, Kaname," Takuma objected heatedly, his eyes smarting at the utter dejection that permeated his friend's voice. "You couldn't have counted on falling ill!"

"It is of no consequence... last night or even this morning I could've addressed the clans, and they would've believed me easily, simply because it were a pureblood's word... now that they have come to their own opinion - no mere word will suffice..."

"Then we will have to find the proof they couldn't deny," Takuma contradicted immediately. "This whole attack was _planned_! Me and Shiki could search through my grandfather's and his uncle's offices at the Council, or on my grandfather's estate..."

"Time..." Kaname answered as if this single word explained everything. "If you submit me to them willingly, then the Cross Academy could be allowed to go on... all blame would be mine... if not - then everything we worked for all these years to establish, the whole cause we fought for for so long... would we forfeit... lost... once again..."

"You truly do not understand, Kaname," Takuma's breath caught inside his throat, but he willed himself to continue, "You know I have embraced the co-existence with my whole heart and did my best to promote it... but if the cause demands of us to sacrifice our banner, our leader, our friend - I do not want to have anything to do with such cause."

"Then how can't _you _understand that I feel the same?!" There was anger in Kaname's voice, enough of it that, if he had his powers, some glass-panes would've suffered. But that, of course, was not the case, and the reminder was painfully obvious for both of them. "You might be thinking that you can fight... or implore..." His voice slipped back into a tired whisper, the eyes closing as if the pureblood was recalling the pictures visible only to himself, "but you do not... you do not understand at all... They think me mad... _murderous_... they would aim to strike first... and since they will be coming to fight a pureblood, they are bound to bring along a pureblood champion of their own... several if they can rout them and give them insentive enough... and those wouldn't hesitate to use compulsion, so your little opposition would be thwarted before it even started... and with this affliction, I wouldn't... I wouldn't even be able to protect you... Can't you see, it's futile?"

"All I see is - you're tired and ill and that makes you despair... Now if it is as you say, cannot we too enlist the help of someone who can fight purebloods? I've heard weird rumors that it was Zero Kiryuu, who killed Rido, are they true? And he fought the Madly Blooming Princess too, the one who turned him - which is an unheard of feat..."

"I... it was I, who killed Shizuka, Takuma, Zero but wounded her... but with his current powers and the weapon he wields, he can kill a pureblood... true..." Kaname's speech was slurring with exhaustion, but then - it was as if the realization of what they were discussing had just sank into his tired mind, for he almost sat up in sudden anguish, "No, not Zero! He has to protect Yuuki, he has to... I _raised_ him for that!"

Cool tender hands reached out to steady the pureblood and lower him gently back onto the pillows, and determined green eyes looked down into feverish brown ones.

"I'm sorry, Kaname, but Yuuki is not the one, who needs protecting now. Her pureblood status is undeniable and she had done nothing to offend them. She is innocent in the vampire ways, true, but it will only make them want to use and influence her, but _harm her - _that they will not. In fact, the pro-monarchy clans could even choose her as their next figure-head in your stead, seeing as she is of the Kuran line as well..."

"Yes," a little tender smile lighted a pale and drawn face momentarily, "she is the true heiress... unlike myself..."

"See," Takuma caught immediately on this first sign of agreement to further his point, " So we can safely borrow Zero from her for awhile... till you get better, or till this whole misunderstanding is resolved..."

"Aren't you missing something in your line of reasoning, Takuma? Zero would never agree to protect _me..._"

And for a moment it seemed to Takuma that he felt his late grandfather's formidable presence materialize behind himself as he answered with cold stubbornness that bore no objection. "_That_ remains to be seen."

Kaname's eyes flew open then, clear and watchful and immeasurably sad, as if he to could feel this ghostly presence in the room.

"I see," the pureblood said tiredly, "there is really nothing I can say to make you change your mind, is there?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Ah... I see..." Kaname sighed, closing his eyes again, and the noble felt a queer pain in his chest, looking at how haggard and lifeless his usually vibrantly alive best friend lay against the whiteness of pillows, now that the animation of their argument had bled out of his features.

"Kaname," he said, acting on instinct alone, "drink my blood, please, so that you can get better soon!" But he really knew the answer even before the faint shake of the brunette's head.

"No, my dear friend..." came the slurry, barely audible reply, "you've barely recovered yourself... you can't spare it... and believe me, I had enough blood... I've overheard though... that you have some blood tablets... a few of those... I would appreciate...

"Put them onto the night stand and leave me alone, please..." he continued as Takuma rose from the bed already. "I will try to sleep... I feel... tired..."

"Of course," Takuma bent to remove a few sweat damp brown locks out of the closed eyes and surreptitiously tug the blanket higher over the shivering shoulder, before repeating the words he had whispered but an hour ago to his then sleeping and unhearing friend, "Sleep well, Kaname, and don't worry about things, they will somehow work out in the end..."

Come to that, he wasn't sure that the pureblood wasn't already sleeping and unhearing now...


	21. Mixed Ingredients 4

**AN: **I'm deeply, deeply sorry for the long delay, but really the end of the tourist season is always tough on us agents, and for some reason it seemed even tougher this year, and what with it and a whole assortment of RL complications I found myself so drained that I simply lacked _any_ stamina to write anything creative, and I'm afraid it included not only fiction but also reviews or even answering the PMs - just anything that needed at least a trifle mental effort. I think (I hope) I'm finally recovering, and I will gradually work my way through all my "debts", and hope that you can kindly forgive my awfully belated answers, reviews etc.

About this chapter specifically - I really planned two more parts to it, but Yori and Aidou have just gone and stolen the whole chapter, which I'm afraid turned out awfully sappy, but well... and Senri, Takuma and Kaname-sama will have to wait till the next installment (that is after I also get to continuing From This Day Forward and A Peculiarly Pureblood Problem - poor darlings that also were left unattended for way too long).

**Disclaimer stands as usual.**

_

* * *

__Hanabusa was not there…_

Granted this was a rather _fangirly_ kind of thought, but that's that – it _was _the first thought that sort of blanked out Sayori's mind with an acute disappointment as soon as she entered the kitchen, much as she berated herself for the irrational wanting to see him again – after all, by the time that he returned from the Sun Dorms she was already asleep…

…_a__nd the fact that you woke up covered with what distinctly looks like the coat he has been wearing is just too cute…_

Oh, no… _cute_!.. That wasn't a word from the sensible and pragmatic Sayori Wakaba's vocabulary either, not a word she would've even considered using before today... especially, not in regards of the fangirls' beloved Idol…

And still it was the fact – she was unaccountably touched by his thoughtfulness when she found out it was his coat that made her feel all warm and cozy, while she slept… even if most likely it was nothing more than a gentlemanly gesture on the blonde's part… Sayori has already learned that good manners seemed to be inbred in the noble vampires – one only needed to converse with Takuma Ichijou to understand as much, or, well, in its almost suffocating form – with Kaname-senpai…

With a marked relief her thoughts switched off Hanabusa Aidou and onto the two that she had left in the main room of the cabin. Kaname-senpai… did he really think that she would be taken in by his little act?.. She could have still been naive (…_and prejudiced…_) enough to almost fall for it by the lake, but definitely not now… not after she sat for two hours beside the gloomy vampire hunter watching the pureblood shiver in unrelenting fever, not after she spoon-fed her own blood into his unconsciously half-opened mouth… And while a part of her (the one that was all too used to masking _her own_ feelings) silently acknowledged Kaname's efforts to assure her of his "returned health", the other knew that such pretense was definitely _not good_ for him in his still weakened and volatile state and was positively itching to remove herself from the room, so that he could relax in the presence of his trusted companion…

Funny, wasn't it? Sayori could still remember herself – less than a week ago – coolly commenting to Yuuki on how her friend's Night Class 'lover' (and all his entourage) just 'gave her the creeps'. And here she was worrying about the same very person's wellbeing, even though she now knew that he was in truth an altogether different and menacing species – a vampire – quite enough to justify her earlier 'creeps'…

But it was the effect of the last two days, she guessed, - changing one's perspectives and priorities in a dramatic fashion, shaking the Academy and everyone within it in such a way that opened up the hidden sides of most unlikely persons…

_Aidou… no, Hanabusa… for one…_

"Would you care to sit already?" the languid though slightly irritated voice startled her right when she was going to start on yet another circle of berating herself for once again veering towards the thoughts of the blonde vampire. "It's very tiring, you know, to watch you standing there like something Aidou-san has frozen up…"

The – oh so timely – mention of exactly the subject of her recent musings made her flush uncomfortably, and that in turn fueled a surge of her own irritation, so that when she turned towards whoever it was jibing her from the corner she was prepared to scold him most rigorously, but… it was just plain impossible to stay angry on someone who gazed at you so innocently out of the pair of cloudy blue-grey eyes.

So instead – Sayori simply did as she was told, seating herself gingerly on the very edge of the corner couch, seeing as all the farther part of it was taken by the reclining vampire, lazily sprawled in what was – as she had to admit despite himself – quite a picturesque display, almost worthy of one of his staged photographs that adored the front pages of fashion magazines she had seen occasionally in her female dorm-mates' post.

Live and close Shiki-senpai looked younger and not so mysterious as those pictures implied – maybe because of a half-eaten pocky sticking out of his mouth, yet she still deemed it necessary to stay a little on the wary side for now – after all Hanabusa had firmly insisted that she should beware of any and all vampires, not excluding even those from the Academy's Night Class.

_Hanabusa…_ _how come he is not here when Kaname-senpai was so sure that he would be?.._

"Eh… Shiki-senpai?.." she started cautiously, not sure if the maroon-haired vampire who seemed totally absorbed with his pocky would even hear her question, "Do you by any chance know, where Aidou-senpai may be?"

For a moment or two it seemed that she indeed was going to be ignored, but then the blue-grey gaze once again swerved into her direction, serious and almost – for whatever reason – concerned, and the pocky came out of his mouth to be put carefully on an empty saucer.

"Somewhere outside, I presume… Brooding away…"

The answer was rather… predictable, she guessed, as the blonde was not here nor, obviously, in the other room, and yet… Her eyes lowered of their own volition to where the folded coat lay neatly upon her knees.

"Don't worry about him getting cold," the vampire continued with an uncanny perceptiveness, "out of all of us Aidou-san is the most… intimate with the low temperatures… and he'll get back in soon enough… I think… just needs some time alone to settle his nerves…"

"Settle his nerves…" Sayori repeated rather dumbly, once again feeling as if there was some hidden layer to the unfolding events, something she wasn't aware of, or possibly, something that had transpired while she was asleep. Come to think of it – Kaname and Ichijou-senpai had also looked unhappily preoccupied earlier, but then she supposed it was because of Moon Dorm leader's condition…

She looked questioningly to the only source of information available to her at the moment, who seemed to be silently contemplating something, the serious expression making him suddenly look more mature than she had thought possible.

"Well, I suppose it's o'key if you read it too," Shiki said finally, "Cain-san said it was ultimately for anyone already involved … and seeing as you are here now… you obviously are…" he pushed the crumpled paper that lay on the table into her direction, "Here. Read for yourself… Ask if you do not understand something…"

Almost reluctantly Sayori took the note and squinted to read the hastily scribbled words. Cain-senpai's handwriting was not the best understandable ever, but Yori had great experience after deciphering Yuuki's messages and even – the few times Sayori came down with a flu – lecture transcriptions, and after that, believe me – reading any other handwriting was easy enough.

It was the essence of the note that was more difficult to come to terms with, and she frowned over the uneven lines, not completely able to bring herself to believe in what was written. Kaname-senpai… killed the entire Council?.. No, of course, Hanabusa had explained her about the Council of Elders and its role for the vampire community, and yesterday, during their vigil by Kaname's bed, one of the reluctant comments uttered by Yagari-sensei as a result of her probing revealed that it was the Council of Elders together with some bad sheep in the Hunter Association that were behind the fateful attack. But… she didn't know what stunned her more – the… the _killing_ itself… though after seeing the shambles of formerly peaceful Academy and the extent of wounds that some of its defendants suffered - the idea of punishing those who were responsible for it all didn't seem as shocking as it would've been but a day ago. Or was it the fact that Kaname-senpai carried out this judgment alone – using those awesome pureblood powers that everybody talked about, perhaps? And still it was way to abstract for her – she just couldn't imagine the calm, reserved and always so excruciatingly polite youth facing a roomful of… _Elders_, for God's sake!.. and somehow _killing them all_…

And now… Her brow furrowed further as she read the remainder of the note.

"Are they going to judge him for it?"

"Judge?" Shiki chuckled as if he found the idea extremely funny, but there was little mirth in his eyes when he looked in her face, "Nobody would _dare_ to judge a pureblood… However they may pronounce him mad and murderous, and then the entire vampire community would turn on him – no holds barred – to either kill him or put him into confinement…" he sighed, idly pushing the pocky around the saucer with the tip of his finger, "and in view of Kaname-sama's strength it would be more sensible to expect the former…"

Despite herself Sayori gasped in an utterly _un_-composed manner.

"But he is helpless right now!"

"Don't say that!" the blue-grey eyes darkened to a dark cloudy tone reminiscent of a brewing storm, "A pureblood can _not_ be helpless!" He seemed to catch himself though, sagging back into his languid pose, and when he continued after a moment, his voice once again was even and strangely resigned. "And Kaname-sama is not helpless, while we are still here to protect him… even though it may mean so awfully little in the end…"

Sayori looked down on the note, biting her lip… the world that seemed so simple but a few days ago had somehow irrevocably shifted into a cruel and not a little frightening place… and her role in it and whatever she could do to influence the events was… well, as insignificant as ever…

And yet – she couldn't but smile, hearing this near exact repetition of what Hanabusa had told but a few hours earlier. Truly, Kuran-senpai was lucky to have such loyal... friends… She was almost sure that both Shiki and Aidou would claim that it was only the loyalty due to him as a pureblood and their Dorm Leader, but she was not buying this, no… Their reaction was just too adamant, too immediate - showing better than any words ever could that they _cared_, and deeply…

_Aidou…_ Sayori's eyes returned to the paper that she just read – latching onto the words that she had sort of skipped over during her earlier reading.

"'Lord Aidou' here… is he?.."

"Our Aidou-san's father, yes…"

"Oh…" Sayori felt momentarily bereft of words… _His own father was among those who joined the opposite force… Poor Aidou-san… Poor Hanabusa… no wonder he wanted to go out to be alone for a while… _And yet she knew just how alone he must be feeling right now… how very alone and cold – just as she had felt for so long – 'ice queen' Sayori… frozen stiff…

It seemed like she had barely blinked and next time she was aware – she was already standing with her hand on the door knob and someone's warm and gentle hands disentangled Hanabusa's coat from her limp hands draping it lightly over her shoulders…

"Keep it on you, at least for while you're searching for him… it's truly freezing outside… and if you want an advice – Aidou-san's temper is volatile at the best of times… make sure you approach him from where he can see it is you…"

***

Despite Shiki-senpai's predictions it wasn't hard to find Hanabusa, for he hadn't wandered far. In fact she saw him as soon as she rounded the corner – sitting on the front steps of the porch, concentrated on something a few meters in front of him to the point she doubted he was even aware of her presence…

The… uh… something (at first she thought uneasily that it could be some kind of intruder – frozen over by the young vampire's powers)… turned out to be an intricately carved life-size ice sculpture, and even as she watched she could see the miniscule chinks of ice crack away or melt and smooth over as Hanabusa perfected the finer details of the face that already looked remarkably as an older version of himself.

Cautiously, Sayori came another couple of steps closer, hoping that her advance would be eventually noted without breaking the young vampire's concentration too much, but never could she have expected a reaction like this – an instant spring-up, the blonde head violently whipping into her direction and the upper part of the sculpture cracking loudly and sliding down in five large chunks.

"Oh... Duh!.. Look what you've done!.." The whole slight frame of the vampire seemed to positively tremble with rage, causing a marked drop in an already fairly freezing temperature. "And just when I was so very nearly done!.."

"I… I'm sorry…" she stuttered out, trying to make her tone as placatory as possible. "You… have a great talent… It was… very lifelike…"

A shuddering sigh escaped from the blonde's lips as his anger subsided and he sagged limply back onto the steps.

"What did you want anyway?" he asked tiredly.

In a mute answer Sayori shrugged out of his coat, the wind merrily attacking her through one less layer of clothing.

"I… thank you for lending me this…"

Ah… 'lending' was such a lame word, really… what she wanted to say was 'thank you for caring'… well, maybe… but even thinking about it made her cheeks heat with embarrassment, really it sounded… it sounded… and it seemed so wrong to feel that way right now, when the young vampire had much weightier problems on his mind…

Yet it were those problems exactly, or maybe - that he looked so dejected… sitting there, with the newly acquired coat loosely hanging over the hunched shoulders – no attempt done even to close the flapping lapels… that she couldn't just leave him like this and return to the warmth of the cabin without saying… well, something… however little need he might have for her comfort… just because she knew all _too well_ how much a parental betrayal hurt…

"Hanabusa…" she felt him tense under the feather-light touch of her hand upon his shoulder. "What… what were you going to do with that statue… once you finished it?"

There was a longish pause and for a moment she wondered if he would think her question too presumptuous and wouldn't answer at all, but it was at exactly that moment that he finally chuckled – the sound raspy and cynical and utterly devoid of merriment, "Why… smash it into a thousand pieces… what else?"

"Well, it _is_ smashed…" she pointed out something that was really self-evident, her fingers tightening just a little on his shoulder and he sighed and put his hand into the blonde hair in a gesture she was all too familiar with by now.

"Yeah, so it is… Yori-chan?" the young vampire's hand closed over hers, leading her from her position somewhat behind him to where he could look up at her from eyes much too mature and troubled for one Hanabusa Aidou, the incorrigible brat… and yet she thought she could see a kind of tortured amusement splashing somewhere at the very bottom of them, "could you stay with me here… for a little while?"

Frankly speaking, Sayori was shivering in her thin and short overcoat, had been – ever since the removal of an extra-layer that Hanabusa's coat provided, besides – her wrist tingled oh so very strangely under the press of the vampire's cool fingers, and she didn't quite know what to make out of this sensation… and yet…

"Alright…" She braced herself for the cold-cold step that her backside was about to come in contact with… only to find the firm and gentle hands taking hold of her waist to pull her slightly to the side and right on top of Hanabusa's knees.

"The step's too cold…" he muttered softly and apologetically from behind her back. "Here…" the blonde let go of her waist for barely a second – only to bring the lapels of his coat to cover her sides as well, wrapping them together in a tight cocoon of weatherproof fabric, "it will be warmer like this…"

Well, it was true – even through her coat she could feel the soft warmth sifting through from his body… or maybe it had to do with a hot flush she felt rising up on her own cheeks… it was… so improper – to sit like this… and for a moment or so she fought the beautifully relaxing feeling – keeping her back all tense and prim and as far as possible from his chest…

Her efforts didn't go unnoticed as she heard the vampire behind her back sigh and turn his head to the side, resting his temple against Sayori's nape, and his voice when he spoke carried a trace of bitterness, "Oh, duh, Yori-chan… no need to feel so tense… I won't bite you…"

He probably meant it as much as a reassurance as a rebuke, but to Sayori's ears his words sounded too much as a cruel reminder of something that transpired all those ages ago – just the morning of this same day…

***

"_No, damn… I won't drink her blood!.. Waah…" The adamantly hissed denial ended with a howl of pain as the burnt tissues protested to his attempt to sit up. In a blur of movement – too quick for Sayori's eyes to catch fully - Cain disappeared from her side to reappear – seemingly in__ an instant – by his cousin, helping him to slowly lower himself back to the infirmary bed._

"_You need it, Hanabusa! You stubborn oaf, you must be in one hell of a pain, and the girl __**offered**__!.."_

"_Damn. It. Akatsuki!!! I told you I __**won't bite her**__!.. Get her out of here… please, cuz… I can't stand it anymore…"_

And she could still see the hidden impatience behind Cain-senpai's apologetic smile…

"_I'm sorry, Wakaba-san, but you'd better… eh… go for a walk or something…"_

***

The remembered humiliation made her cringe, and it took an enormous effort to keep her own bitterness down, as she whispered almost as an apology, "I… am not afraid of that, Aidou-senpai… Hanabusa… You must find my blood quite… disgusting, don't you… you've made clear as much…"

Ah… what was with her really? If the vampires found her blood undesirable it was actually a good thing, wasn't it? Then why did the fact that this particular vampire wouldn't drink it even as a desperately needed medicine perturb her so much?

Lost in this awkward self-analysis, Sayori almost jumped when the object of her thoughts almost choked, or at least that is what his stunned little laugh sounded like.

"Wha… What on the Earth could make you think so, Yori-chan?"

Oh really! Did he need to ask? She felt something – not quite anger, not quite resentment rearing up in her at the audacity of the man - asking so obliviously after he, himself… after…

"Back in the infirmary…" she blurted out despite the decision to not go on further down this humiliating lane, "you were pretty adamant about not drinking my _freely offered _blood _under any circumstances_… not even in the state you were in then."

"Oh…" It sounded like a startled groan, and the blonde hair tickled her nape once again as the vampire bumped his forehead (quite forcibly) into her shoulder. "Oh… duh… _just brilliant, Hanabusa!.. _But I couldn't _imagine_ that she will take it like that!"

Darn her feeble heart but even midst the fit of humiliated resentment this habit of his – of mumbling out his thoughts quite audibly when he was distressed – was just too adorable… as was the way he nuzzled his temple against her nape – quite like her mother's cat, when she tried to ingratiate herself to her owners before meowing for a treat…

"Yori-chan…"

…as was the timbre of his voice – uncertain, yet, for once, serious and sincere – when he spoke again…

"I… wish I knew myself why I rejected your offer, Yori-chan… was hardly coherent back then… didn't want you there at all – to see me like this… uh… now _that_ was disgusting… didn't want to scare you… or maybe… oh, duh… wished you offered it to _me_, not to any pitiful half-charred creature in my state…"

It was hard to make sense out of the inconsistent little blurts of words, half-muffled in the fabric of her collar, but something in that last bit that she'd caught really made her wonder… for indeed, she wouldn't have minded giving her blood to _anyone,_ who needed it that badly… (Didn't mind giving it to Kaname-senpai, did she?)… whether through a proper transfusion system, drained out by syringe, or even through an ordinary cut, much like Yagari-sensei had done in his haste… but offering someone else to _bite_ her…

As fast as Luca had been moving, while bringing her to the infirmary, Sayori couldn't but notice a vampire sharing blood with his lightly wounded comrade on the windowsill of the school corridor – with the Day Class safely kept behind the closed doors they apparently saw little point in maintaining secrecy… Not that it shocked her, but the pose seemed just so _intimate – _what with the lips of the one, who was drinking, pressed firmly a little above the other's collarbone – much like a kiss… Could she really allow someone to do that to her?.. And yet she had not hesitated a moment before offering it to Hanabusa…

"Whatever the reasons, Yori-chan, it wasn't that I didn't want it… because I did…" His nose pressed into her hair beside the ear and he seemed to inhale deeply – the air current, passing by her neck, sending ticklish sensation right down her spine, that wasn't at all unpleasant… in fact, it almost made her whimper in response… Was he going to bite her now? If it was indeed so, Sayori found herself curiously unafraid… but instead - the very next words that she heard sounded flat with a resigned finality. "It's all water under the bridge though… Then was then and now is now…" For a moment his arms around her midriff tightened in a possessive embrace, yet the very next second he was standing up already, putting her down on her own feet – which felt entirely too wobbly right now. "Walk with me, Yori-chan…"

She ought to have been already used to his fast changing moods, but even then - this particular swing was abrupt enough to leave Sayori disconcerted and vaguely hurt – as if the blood drinking itself was some kind of promise that he had made her – only to break it over and over again… besides… (It wasn't as if she was thinking of it all along, you see… more like – that she was trying so hard to avoid looking at him right now, and that's how her gaze ended up on the cabin instead, and that in turn brought back to her memory the whole situation and all…)

"I… well, of course… but weren't you… eh… guarding Kaname-senpai or something?.."

He shrugged and the slight movement made her eyes shift back towards the young vampire only to see that he too was looking back at the cabin thoughtfully, one hand habitually buried in the disarray of blond locks.

"With all the factions they will be prone to quarrel over the best course of action… and also without the Council to prepare a plan… I'd say we should be safe for tonight. And Shiki and Ichijou together can deal with a few stray Es… Anyway, I will return soon enough… Well," Hanabusa finally turned towards her – blue eyes still partially averted, still not meeting hers squarely and a guarded expression belying the friendliness of proffered hand, "are you coming or what?"

It seemed somewhat surreal to be going hand in hand with him down the same very path that they hastily climbed but a day ago… almost like retracing her own steps or going back in time to the moment when all the madness had just gone loose in the Academy, and she could easily imagine how they would find the grounds immaculate once again - without a sign of carnage and burned ruins, everything that had come to pass since then - nothing but a bad dream…

Unlike their previous walk, Hanabusa was not hurrying forward, dragging her behind himself as a balloon on a string. In fact he seemed intent on maintaining such a sedate pace that at times it was actually he, who was lagging behind, remote and silent himself and not prodding her to talk either – which was another obvious difference from their earlier walk – and instead of enjoying this peaceful break from their usually _intense _discussions, Sayori found the silence unnerving… more so, because she couldn't quite put a finger on an actual source of her growing anxiety…

It didn't come to her until they passed the turn to the lake and then – _bang!_ – his last words shone as a warning light in her head and she stopped in her track, determined to not make another step until she was brought up straight regarding his plans.

"Aidou-senpai…" the suspicion made her tone rather acerbic, and the obvious step back from the first name terms was meant to show him that she wouldn't be satisfied with some evasive answer. "You told earlier that _'you_ would return soon'. Does it mean that you plan to leave me over at the Sun Dorms?"

A little curt nod was all the answer she got, the blue eyes avoiding hers studiously and the hand tugging on her own with a sudden impatience. But no, she was not done asking yet.

"With the rest of the Day Class?"

Another tug must have shown him beyond doubt that she wasn't intending to budge from this spot unless he speaks, and so he dropped her hand – making her strangely desolate upon the loss of this last point of contact – and answered in that same flat – resigned and determined voice,"The hunters will escort you all to the town, come the morning… you'll probably be already at home before the end of the day…"

She didn't know what hurt her more – the fact that he obviously decided it all behind her back… (Was he even planning to tell her about that before they reached the dormitories?)… or that he apparently was thinking her to be deaf or just so dumb that she wouldn't be able to figure the rest of it after the conversation that Yagari-sensei and he had been having not two steps removed from her in the kitchen…

"Will they also wipe out my memory before that?" she asked icily, which was really no wonder – she _felt_ like her whole insides were freezing rapidly into a huge lump of ice, almost as if he used his powers on her instead of just… what?.. betraying her trust?

"It is for your own safety…"

Now that was _too much_… Her eyes stung something awful, small hands clenching and unclenching in complete fury.

"And you… you… wouldn't even consider asking me first?! What if I _do not want_ to forget everything?.. About vampires… and Yuuki… and Kaname-senpai… and this whole day… and… you?.." She fought her best to maintain at least a semblance of composure, but still her voice broke somewhere between a sob and a hardly ladylike shriek, "What _right _do you have to decide it without asking?!"

She felt her legs buckling, her whole frame hunching forward to fall on her knees and dissolve into a disaster of helpless sobs… but before it happened – well, in an instance it seemed – Sayori found herself caught up in a warm and sure embrace, her face pressed flush into a cashmere vest, the lapels of Hanabusa's coat closing once again around her shoulders and his hand running soothing circles upon her back…

"Yori-chan… Yori-chan…" his voice resounded in his breast as unsteady and broken as her own, hoarse as if the previous flatness had shattered into a multitude of sharp splinters over his vocal chords, "please, don't cry… Do you think _I_ want you to forget?.. Ah… But you do not know what we are up against now… with Kaname-sama thus… incapacitated… it is little hope we have… and I do not want to… I _can not allow_ for you to get hurt…" He put his chin on top of her head, bringing her even closer into himself, as if he too needed this contact to compose himself. "Please… do not fight me now… leave me this little while to indulge in a fantasy of what could've been…o'key?"

Wordlessly she nodded, knowing that he was bound to feel the tiny movement, what with her enveloped by him entirely like that… and after a while, when the last hiccups subsided – put her smaller hand back into his only slightly larger one – to lead her down the path…

He kept silent as they went between the shadowy trees, and now Sayori was deeply grateful for continuous quiet – for it gave her the time to think over what she needed to do when they arrived – find Yagari-sensei… surely the master-hunter would listen to her request to leave her memories intact?.. or maybe Yuuki… find Yuuki and stick by her side, which would be the safest place for her as long as she intended to remain here… and Yuuki, for one, would undoubtedly understand just how she felt…


End file.
